Facets of the Future
by Hagalaz001
Summary: Tsunade receives records of the future from her future self, and decides to go along with her future self's reasoning by showing those records to the people they pertain to in the present.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Prologue

"What's this all about anyway?" Naruto Uzumaki complained as he and Sakura made their way towards the Hokage's office.

"I don't know either." Sakura Haruno replied with a shrug. "I was working over at the hospital when I just received the order to come here at once. Considering how busy we still are these days, it must be really important if Tsunade-sama is calling for me during my shift."

Naruto hummed unhappily at that, hands stuck in his pockets as he thought over what they could be getting called for or to do. "Maybe baa-chan has found something about where or what Sasuke is doing?" he wondered aloud.

"…maybe…" Sakura admitted while looking away.

The rest of the walk to the Hokage's office was made in silence, though once they arrived, they found themselves surprised to find others there as well. "Hey, what are you guys doing here?" Naruto asked.

"Beats me," Shikamaru Nara grumbled where he was crouched in one corner. "I was just getting some sleep when I got the orders to come here. It's troublesome, but when Hokage-sama comes calling…"

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that you sleep too much?" Ino Yamanaka grumpily interrupted. "Anyway, same story here. Hokage-sama called me here, so here I am."

"Likewise." Chouji Akimichi said while raising a hand, and then going back to munching on a bag of chips.

There was a chorus from everybody else in the room, or at least most of them. Hinata Hyuuga and Shino Aburame just nodded along to the chorus, while Akamaru just continued to pant where he was seated at Kiba Inuzuka's feet. Kakashi Hatake didn't respond, just staying where he was, leaning against a wall while reading one of his copies of the Icha-Icha series.

"Well," Kurenai Yuuhi said with a cough. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's important. Tsunade-sama would never gather so many of us here for no good reason, so let's just be patient and wait for what she has to say."

"I agree." Neji Hyuuga concurred with his fellow jounin. "Especially when one considers just _who _are in this room together, right now."

His words sent ripples of comprehension through the gathering, and Rock Lee predictably got fired up. "Alright!" he said with a pump of his fist. "As my youthful teammate says, Hokage-sama has gathered together the most youthful of our generation of shinobi! So let us wait patiently for her arrival, and conserve our youth and energy for what task she has in mind for us!"

There was a cough at the doorway, and everyone turned to see Shizune standing there with a small smile. "While I'm glad to see you're all so pumped up and energetic, there's really no need for that." She said. "Tsunade-sama just wants you all to see something, and now that you're all here, shall we get going?"

"See something?" Sakura echoed. "See what, exactly?"

"I think I'll let Tsunade-sama explain that." Shizune said before turning and walking back down the corridor with a gesture for them to follow. "If you'll follow me, I'll show you to where Tsunade-sama is waiting."

Everyone in the office looked at each other curiously, but with really nothing else to say or do, they did as Shizune asked.

* * *

"Oh good, you're all here." Tsunade said, eyeing them all as the gathering found themselves in a large room. A projector screen was set up on the far wall, but instead of a projector, facing it was some kind of orb sitting on a plinth. "Shizune, activate the privacy seals."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Shizune said before making a series of hand seals. Seals briefly flickered over the walls, floor, and ceiling, making sure no one could see, hear, or indeed, sense or spy on anything that happened in the room until they were released. It also meant that nothing could come or leave the room in that very same time.

"I assume that that orb is what we're here to observe?" Neji asked.

"You assume correctly." Tsunade answered.

"That looks a lot like the crystal ball Hokage-jiji used to use to see all over the village." Naruto observed. There were some odd glances his way at that, and Naruto looked miffed. "What? I used to spend a lot of time in his office when I was a kid, and Hokage-jiji let me play with his hat and showed me all sorts of stuff back then."

"I can vouch for that." Kakashi said with a nod. "Now that Naruto mentions it, Sandaime-sama did show him that crystal ball more than once."

"That sounds like sensei, alright." Tsunade said before shaking her head. "Anyway, about looking like sensei's crystal ball, apparently that's because it _is _sensei's crystal ball…only it's not."

There was a moment of silence. And then…

"…how can it be Hokage-jiji's crystal and not be at the same time, baa-chan?" Naruto asked.

"…if you'd let me finish, then I'll explain just that." Tsunade snapped, and Sakura bopped Naruto on the head, and sending the jinchuuriki staggering. "It's sensei's crystal ball, and we've checked three times. Only there's another one of them in the archives, and on checking – again, three times – it's also the real thing."

"…such a precise degree of replication…" Neji murmured.

"It's worrying to me too, except it's not a replica." Tsunade said. "You see, there was a note attached with the second crystal ball, when it appeared on my desk out of nowhere two weeks ago. The note was also checked for authenticity, multiple times, and it checks out."

"What does it say?" Kurenai asked. "And who wrote it?"

"I did." Tsunade said, and gave a smirk at their uncomprehending expressions. "Apparently, it was sent from a couple of decades in the future, with recorded samples of the future lives of everyone in this room. I don't how my future self did it, but it seems she really did."

"Why though?" Neji asked. "Surely she must be aware of the dangers of potentially altering the past and with it, the future."

"I'm sure my future self knows that." Tsunade said with a nod before narrowing her eyes. "But she undoubtedly also knows the challenges we face here and now. Given the 'why' she gave…"

Tsunade paused, and then gave a small laugh. "Something to give us incentive to keep on fighting no matter how hard things are and will get," she said. "I'm going to get sentimental, it seems."

"Now, I don't think that's a bad thing, baa-chan." Naruto said with a laugh and a grin. "In fact, I'd say you should be more like your future self…ow! Sakura-chan, what…ow!"

"…you were saying, master?" Sakura nonchalantly said after bopping Naruto on the head a couple of times.

"From my future self's perspective, this is probably a calculated risk." Tsunade said with a nod. "With that in mind, I'll respect her decision, which is why I've gathered you all here today. That said, while I'll respect her decision, considering what we're about to see…I'm going to give each of you the chance to back out in case any of you don't want to take the risk."

"No way I'm backing down!" Naruto said. "Let's do this, baa-chan!"

"Well said, my youthful friend!" Lee followed-through just as enthusiastically. "If the future Tsunade-sama is willing to give us something to further stoke the raging flames of our youth, it would be most unyouthful to spurn her offer!"

Tenten palmed her face. "…if Lee's staying, then I'm staying." She said. "Just…to support everyone else here…"

"…likewise." Neji said with a nod.

"Let's do this!" Kiba said with a bark from Akamaru.

An agreeing chorus rose up from the other ninjas, except – initially – for Shikamaru, who tried to walk away only for Ino to place an arm around his shoulder and pull him back beside her and Chouji. "Where's your team spirit, Shika?" she crossly said. "Me and Chouji are staying, and seeing as you're the brains of Ino-Shika-Chou, you need to see this too."

"…fine…troublesome woman…" Shikamaru grumbled.

"If you're going along with your future self's decision," Kakashi said after a glance at Kurenai and Maito Gai. "Then we'll stay and support you, Tsunade-sama."

"Alright then…" Tsunade said with a nod, and then making a series of hand seals, placed a hand on the orb, which began to glow. "Let us begin."

* * *

A/N

Well, let's see how far this goes.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Chapter 1

_The Sun shone warmly through the windows of the Hokage's office, accompanied by the sounds of birds chirping and that of the bustling village stretching out as far as the eye could see. The seat behind the desk was empty though, if only because its occupant was currently rummaging through a file cabinet along one wall. He was a well-built man wearing what looked like the standard Konoha jounin uniform from the back, with the white cloak and hat of the Hokage hanging on a nearby rack. There was something familiar about his spikily-styled blonde hair…_

"Oh, no way…" Ino said in disbelief.

"…is that who I think it is?" Chouji asked.

Eyes turned to Naruto, who was staring at the screen with wide eyes and a slowly-widening smile.

_The Hokage stepped back from the file drawer, and closing the cabinet turned while scratching his head irritably. Despite the two long bangs framing his face which hadn't been there before, there was no mistaking his face, least of all the three, iconic whisker marks on each cheek._

"YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAH!" Naruto cheered at the top of his voice, jumping and pumping his fist into the air repeatedly. "I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT! I BECAME HOKAGE!"

"NARUTO-SAN!" Lee said with tears pouring down his face. "CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR YOUTH FINALLY REACHING ITS FULL FLOWER!"

"THANKS BUSHY BROWS!" Naruto said with a grin and a thumbs-up at Lee.

"…I better tell mom to update our fire insurance." Kiba grumbled. "Pretty sure it won't be long before the village burns down."

"Hey!" Naruto protested, and Hinata placed a hand on her teammate's arm.

"Be nice, Kiba-kun." She said, and Kiba huffed but didn't insist.

"Yeah, yeah…" he muttered.

Everyone else in the room stayed silent, though for the most part – Kiba and Neji remained as stoic as ever – they gave Naruto's exuberance indulgent and congratulatory smiles. "Don't celebrate just yet, brat." Tsunade said, though she too was smiling at Naruto. "You're still a long way from becoming that man on the screen. Haven't you noticed? He is a jounin, while you're still a genin."

A light seemed to come to Naruto's eyes. "Bring it on, baa-chan." He said with a determined expression. "By the time the year is out, I'll be a jounin, you just watch."

Tsunade cackled but didn't say anything as she resumed playing the recording.

_Seventh Hokage Naruto Uzumaki walked back over to his desk, and crouching down began rummaging through the cabinets. "Shizune-san," he called. "Can you come in for a bit?"_

"_Yes, Hokage-sama."_

Shizune blinked in surprise that she was still working as the Hokage's secretary in the future, but then she smiled in acceptance.

_A couple of moments later, and Shizune walked in, virtually unchanged from the present day._

"Wow," Ino breathed in awe. "Shizune-san looks like she hasn't aged a day."

"…she's probably just using the same genjutsu baa-chan does…" Naruto began only for Sakura to lightly swat him on an arm.

"Be nice, Naruto." She said.

"Yeah, yeah…" Naruto said.

"_Was there something you needed?" Shizune asked._

"…_yeah…" Naruto said while continuing to rummage through his desk's cabinets. "Have you seen the updated report from the Pest and Fumigation Office? I'm pretty sure it should be in already."_

"…_unfortunately it's been overdue for a week already." Shizune apologetically said. "We already sent them two follow-up requests, but they say they're not ready to submit an updated report yet."_

"_A week?" Naruto incredulously said, his head popping up from behind his desk. "Seriously?"_

"_Yes."_

_Naruto growled before reaching for a phone on his desk, and placing the handset to an ear, began keying in a number. Shizune looked uncomfortable at the sight, and then spoke up. "The Pest and Fumigation Office has elected to take the day off," she said. "Given the occasion…"_

_A vein began to throb on Naruto's temple before he exploded._

"_THOSE IDIOTS!"_

"Oh wow," Ino said with a snicker. "Naruto really became responsible, didn't he?"

"Well, it had to happen someday." Tenten said.

"He became Hokage." Shino chimed in. "He is responsible for the entire village, and everyone in it. It is only logical he would gain the maturity and responsibility needed for the position beforehand."

"Thanks guys, really." Naruto dryly said. "I'm plenty mature and responsible right now, you know?"

That had him taking a step back at the skeptical glances thrown his way in response. "W-w-what?" he stammered out.

Tsunade sighed. "…let's…move on…" she said.

"_Just because tonight's Tanabata it doesn't mean they can just slack off." Naruto snapped while sitting down and pulling out a form from one of his cabinets. Taking his pen, he began agitatedly filling out the form while continuing to rant. "Especially when that report and what it's about has been overdue for a week now. And I'll bet they're behind schedule on that too…did they already forget about last year's rat outbreak? We're still paying off damages and other stuff from that. Damn it…"_

"Rat outbreak?" Ino asked, wide-eyed.

"…I think I'm going to have to go with my eventual successor on this one." Tsunade said with a twitching eye. "To be honest, if I were in his place, I'd probably be busting some skulls by now."

There was a chorus of agreement from everyone in the room, especially the girls and – surprisingly – Chouji. Or not: rats had an unfortunate reputation of getting into storehouses and either eating or fouling up the food inside. And that was practically guaranteed to piss off any Akimichi worth the name.

_Shizune just smiled indulgently as Naruto filled out the form, and then stepped forward to take it as he handed it to her. She glanced down as she received it, and then blinked. "Isn't this a bit…harshly-worded?" she asked._

_Naruto gave her a blank look. "There were rats coming out of the toilets last year, Shizune-san." He said._

"Oh gods…" Ino breathed, hands going to her mouth in disgust.

"You can say that again." Sakura said, also looking disgusted. "I wouldn't be surprised if master's future self did bust some skulls when it happened."

"Your future self probably did too." Naruto teased with a laugh.

Sakura considered the notion for a moment. "If she did…then good for her." She said with a shrug, and causing Naruto to laugh some more. Sakura smiled lightly at his laughter but did nothing.

_Shizune's face blanched. "I see your point, Hokage-sama." She said. "I'll forward copies of this official reprimand to all members of the Pest and Fumigation Office immediately."_

"_Thanks."_

_Shizune nodded and then left, closing the door behind her. Sighing to himself, Naruto sat back in his armchair for a few moments, and then glancing at the stack of unsigned paperwork on one side of his desk, sighed again. Then taking his pen, he took the sheet on top, read it carefully, before signing and stamping it and then placing it in a receptacle on the other side of his desk._

"Some things never change, I see." Tsunade said with a grin. "Well, at least it's not my problem anymore."

"Huh?" Naruto asked. "What does that mean, baa-chan?"

Tsunade cackled but didn't say anything.

_For the next few minutes, Naruto rinsed and repeated, taking and reading forms before signing and stamping them and then placing them in appropriately-marked receptacles._

"That's boring." Naruto complained. "Why doesn't he do something more exciting?"

Tsunade cackled again. "What?" she asked rhetorically. "Did you think being Hokage was that exciting a job? It's a rare day when you get to go out and actually do something. Most days, it's just papers and more papers and more papers, and if it's not that, it's stuffy meetings with the council. D-ranks are probably more exciting by comparison."

Naruto paled as he thought back to when he was still a kid and spent most of his time in the Hokage's office. He remembered the towering stacks of paperwork that covered the Third's desk, and glancing at his future self and what he was doing, winced. "Having second thoughts, Naruto-chan?" Tenten teased.

"No, no, of course not!" Naruto desperately fended off with a weak laugh. "Being Hokage's my dream, you know? Bring on the paperwork, dattebayo!"

Tsunade cackled again. "Oh, you have no idea, brat." She said with a grin.

_Naruto raised his head as he heard a muffled conversation through the door, his dull expression brightening at one of the voices. And then the doorknob turned, the door opening to allow a blonde boy to diffidently poke his head in through the gap._

"_Um…is this a good time, dad?" the boy asked. "I heard you shouting while I was on the way, so…"_

"_Hmm…? Oh that? It's nothing." Naruto said with a smile while putting his pen down. "Come on in, Shina."_

_The boy finally stepped in, and closed the door behind him. He was probably twelve or thirteen, looking much like his father at that age, only with different clothes. He wore a blue short-sleeved shirt under an orange sleeveless jacket, along with a matching pair of shorts. He also had a pair of dark blue arm-warmers on his forearms, while his Konoha headband was worn around his forehead._

"Naruto has a kid!" Kiba incredulously exclaimed, all the while pointing at the screen.

"It certainly seems that way." Neji said with a nod. "The boy's appearance is further evidence, given the obvious resemblance."

"Well…" Ino said while thoughtfully tapping her cheek. "While I still think there's too much orange, he certainly has more fashion sense than Naruto does, or his mother…"

Ino trailed off, eyes narrowing at the boy on the screen. "Don't diss the orange." Naruto half-heartedly protested, eyes focused on his future son. "Shina…that's his name? Shina…why Shina…it seems to fit but…"

_Shinachiku Uzumaki crossed the office to plop himself down on one of the chairs in front of the Hokage's desk, and then crossing his arms on the desk slumped down with his chin against his arms. "Dad, I'm bored." He complained._

"_It can't be helped, Shina." Naruto said with a sigh. "After how your last mission went down the drain, trust me, you need the break."_

"_Yeah, I know." Shinachiku said, green eyes going to half-mast. "It doesn't mean I won't get bored, though."_

"Oh, no way…" Ino breathed in realization.

"…it's not really that surprising, when you think about it." Shikamaru remarked, also having come to the same conclusion.

Shino nodded in agreement. "Agreed."

"What's not surprising?" Naruto asked, looking and sounding offended. "That I've got a son by then? I mean I'm already Hokage by then, so shouldn't I also have a…oh…"

Naruto also took in his son's features, in particular the green eyes and the large forehead hidden behind the Konoha headband. There was only one woman he knew of that could give his boy those, and…

Glancing to one side, his eyes met those of Sakura's, who had also come to the same realization. Immediately, both of them looked away, cheeks pink and unable to say anything to each other. "Figures," Ino said with a teasing smile. "Your son just had to inherit your big forehead, billboard brow."

"Shut it, Ino pig." Sakura snapped, and coming to her future son's defense. "He looks just fine as he is."

"That he does." Naruto agreed. He glanced at Sakura, and once again, looked away when their eyes met. Awkward silence persisted for a few moments, and then Naruto sighed. "…we'll talk later."

"…yeah, we should."

Kiba and Shino though discreetly glanced in concern at Hinata, as did Kurenai. The Hyuuga heiress lowered her head with a small smile, and then raising her head, took in the features of Naruto and Sakura's son. She drank him in for several moments, no doubt wondering if things were different, he might have her features instead of Sakura's, and then taking a deep breath, wiped a tear from her eye.

"I'm fine." She softly told her teammates. "Really."

Both Shina and Kiba placed hands on her shoulders and squeezed reassuringly. No words were said, because really, what could they say?

"_True," Naruto admitted. "Though look on the bright side, at least you're in the village for Tanabata."_

"_That's only for a C-rank mission." Shinachiku pointed out. "But Konohamaru-sensei's banned us from taking even D-ranks this week."_

"Konohamaru, huh?" Naruto muttered. "He's in good hands."

_Naruto quickly tapped his fingers on his desk in thought. "Well," he eventually said. "Even if you did get a D-rank, it might wear you out, and you wouldn't be able to enjoy tonight as much as you would otherwise."_

"…_when you put it that way…"_

_Naruto laughed and patted Shinachiku on his head. "Always look at the bright side of things, Shina." He said. "Otherwise, the bad things will just drag you down, and you'll get nowhere. Trust me, I know."_

"…that was fairly deep." Kurenai said with mild surprise.

"Really?" Naruto asked. "It seemed really obvious to me."

No one said anything about that. They knew about his circumstances prior to becoming a ninja, and in that light, what his future self had told his son, and what his present self saw as obvious, were only to be expected.

_Naruto glanced at the clock on the wall. "Hmm…it's still a bit early to leave for lunch." He said. "Come to think of it, your mother's supposed to be taking Hanami out for a new kimono, right?"_

"_Yup…and, um, she sent me here to…"_

"…_make sure I wouldn't forget to meet up with you for lunch." Naruto finished before giving a barking laugh. "That sounds like your mom, alright."_

"Oh gods," Sakura said, while letting her flaming face fall into her hands.

"You know him so well, billboard brow." Ino teased. "No wonder you'll end up marrying him."

His own cheeks burning, Naruto gave a cough. "Can we just move on, please?" he asked.

Tsunade chuckled before resuming the recording.

"_I just need to finish up a few more forms, and then we can go." Naruto said, picking up his pen once more. "You don't mind waiting for a few more minutes, do you?"_

"_No, I'm fine with waiting for a few minutes." Shinachiku said with a smile, and Naruto nodded before returning to his work._

_As before, he carefully read the forms submitted to him before signing and then stamping, before placing them where they were supposed to go. Unlike before though, he seemed more lively about it, no doubt due to his son's presence and anticipation for lunch with his family. The minutes ticked by quickly, until finally, the clock struck twelve._

_Naruto's stamp marked one last form, and then it slid into the plastic receptacle. "And there's the morning work done." He said while putting his pen down, and then stretching his arms overhead. "Shall we?"_

_Shinachiku nodded while getting to his feet. "Oh wait, what about your cloak and hat, dad?" he asked, following Naruto to the window._

"_What? We're just heading out for lunch. There's no need to look all prim and proper for it." Naruto said in surprise._

"…_okay then."_

_Naruto nodded. "Come on, Shina." He said while jumping out of the window. "Let's not keep your mom and sister waiting."_

"_Huh? Hey, wait for me, dad!" Shinachiku shouted in protest before also jumping out of the window, and following his dad's lead over the rooftops of Konoha._

The image on the screen died down as the recording ended. "I guess that's that for this part of the flashes from the future." Tsunade said.

"WHAT A YOUTHFUL FUTURE YOU HAVE, NARUTO-SAN!" Lee gushed, again with tears pouring down his cheeks.

"I know, right!" Naruto said with a laugh, though his eyes quickly turned determined. "…I can see why baa-chan sent this back. Incentive to keep going no matter how hard things will get…thanks, baa-chan."

"Don't mention it kid." Tsunade said with a small smile.

* * *

A/N

It's update time.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Chapter 2

_A beautiful woman with long pink hair tied back into a ponytail gently looked through a set of clothes in a store. She wore a long dress of red edged in white under a long white coat, and carried a black lady's bag with one hand._

Every male in the room stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the screen, unable to keep their eyes off the beautiful woman. Not that they didn't recognize her, of course. The pink hair was a dead giveaway, to say nothing of her green eyes. And while she might have blossomed into full womanhood, her face was still recognizably that of their fellow ninja of the Hidden Leaf.

"Damn," Kiba breathed. "Naruto is one lucky son of a bitch."

"…I'm so jealous." Ino mournfully wailed. "Married life and motherhood suits Sakura so well."

Neither Naruto nor Sakura said a thing, the two of them fidgeting on their feet with reddened cheeks, unable to look at each other in embarrassment. Their fellow ninjas weren't so constrained though, and both Kiba and Ino's statements met with a chorus of agreement.

"_Mommy, mommy!"_

_Sakura Uzumaki turned at the voice, and smiled while sinking down to come face to face with a nine-year old girl running towards her. The little girl slowed to a halt, and then spun on her feet a couple of times to show off the kimono she was wearing. "It's pretty, isn't it?" she asked with a beaming smile, and Sakura smiled wider._

"_Yes, it really is." She said while patting her daughter on the head. "That said, don't run around in the store, Hanami. You might break something."_

_Hanami Uzumaki nodded as Sakura stood up, and grinned while making a mock salute. "Okay, mommy." She said. "I've got it, dattebane!"_

The girls in the room gushed at the sight of the little girl. "Aww!" Ino cooed along with Tenten. "She looks just like Sakura did at that age!"

"Except for the smile." Tenten added. "It's pure Naruto. And don't get me started on the way she talks."

"Hanami…" Sakura murmured thoughtfully.

"…it's a good name…" Naruto murmured next and just as thoughtfully next to her.

"…yeah, it is." Sakura agreed with a small smile. "It fits her."

"She's your daughter, after all." Naruto added, and Sakura smiled wider while looking down.

"…yeah," she eventually said. "She is…yours too…"

Naruto laughed weakly, rubbing the back of his head before looking back at the screen.

_Hanami was led back to the fitting room by an attendant, while Sakura resumed looking through the store's collection. A few minutes later and Hanami emerged from the fitting room, now dressed in an ordinary shirt of green over a pair of dark blue shorts. "Mommy, I'm finished." She said._

"_Yes, yes," Sakura said, walking over to gently take her daughter by a shoulder before heading for the counter. "Don't be rude now."_

"_Okay."_

_Hanami hummed a tune to herself while bouncing on the balls of her feet, busying herself while her mother spoke with the cashier. Sakura was handing over the payment when the seamstress emerged from a door behind the counter. "Alright, Missus Uzumaki." The greying woman said. "I just need to make a few cosmetic alterations, but you should be able to pick it up by four in the afternoon."_

"_More than enough time to get ready for the evening festival." Sakura said with a nod. "Thanks, Madam Hiyori."_

"_Oh it's no problem at all, Missus Uzumaki."_

_Sakura nodded again, and then turned to where her daughter was now clumsily prancing around while mumbling to herself. "Come on, Hanami." She said, offering her daughter a hand. "Let's go find your father and brother for lunch."_

_Hanami nodded, and took her mother's hand. "Okay!" she said._

"Damn," Tenten said with a shake of her head. "The kid really does take after her father, doesn't she?"

"And just what is the problem with that?" Naruto asked, offended.

"Naruto-chan, you were a spaz when you were that age, and even as a genin." Tenten pointed out. "Do you really want the same for your kid?"

"Was not!" Naruto protested. "And she isn't!"

"Besides," Sakura chimed in, also coming to her future daughter's defense. "She's not even a genin yet. She's also probably no older than ten. Let her be herself. She doesn't have to grow up so quickly."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed with a nod. "She's just a happy little girl acting her age. Leave her alone."

Tenten raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, though Ino narrowed her eyes before giving a smirk. "Seriously," she said. "Given how easily you two just seem to sync with each other, why haven't you started going out yet?"

Naruto and Sakura both started at Ino's mentioning of how easily they thought and acted along the same lines, half-hearted protests dying on their lips as they started to say the same words, and found themselves unable to look at each other in the eyes as their cheeks reddened again. Ino smirked wider. "See what I mean?" she asked rhetorically.

Shikamaru sighed. "…oblivious, troublesome, idiots." He said.

"What does that mean?" Naruto and Sakura chorused, and blushed again as they realized what they'd just done.

"Shikamaru has a point." Tsunade chimed in. "You two need to stop lying to yourselves."

"Master, we're not…!" Sakura began to protest.

"Yeah! I mean…Sakura-chan, she likes…!" Naruto also began to protest.

"Does she?" Tsunade cut Naruto off. "Then how come you can't look at each other in the eyes here and now? As for you, Sakura…"

Tsunade paused and sighed. "Let me give you a piece of advice." She said, her expression wistful and filled with regret. And that more than anything caused both Naruto and Sakura to take her completely seriously. "Don't make the same mistakes I did. You never know what you have, until the day it's gone, and you can never get it back."

Naruto and Sakura drew back with a gasp, and then looked away with troubled expressions on their faces. Tsunade similarly looked up, her eyes distant, as though hearing and seeing something only she could remember. No one dared to say anything, until finally Tsunade shook her head with a sigh.

"Anyway," she said. "One last thing: earlier, you two said you'd talk with each other later. Make sure you do. Don't be like me and Jiraiya, and let pride and stubbornness take everything you have away. Now, let's move on."

Naruto and Sakura looked at each other silently for a long moment, and then nodded as one in silent agreement.

_Sakura and Hanami made their way down the streets of Konoha, which bustled with people of all ages and with civilians and ninjas both. The stores on either side of the street were already decorated for the evening's festival, and while the men set to work on them had broken for lunch, more partly-done decorations such as banners, streamers, and even lanterns could be seen overhead, or waiting in hastily-closed containers in out of the way corners._

"_SAKURA!"_

Eyes rolled across the gathered ninjas. Some things never changed, it seemed. Naruto rubbed the back of his head, even as Sakura smiled fondly before lightly punching him on an arm.

_Sakura turned to look in the direction the shout came from, and gave a small smile as her husband jumped down to land a few steps away from her. He stepped closer even as their son also jumped down, and likewise stepped closer._

"_Hey, big bro." Hanami said with a wave of her hand._

"_Hey, Hanami." Shinachiku said. "You have a new kimono already?"_

"_Yes, dattebane!"_

"_Well, that was quick." Naruto said in surprise. "The last time we had to buy a new kimono for Hanami, we barely found one before the stores closed for the day."_

"_Well, it looks like we got lucky today." Sakura said with a shrug. "Because Madam Hiyori had the right one…kind of. Just a few more alterations, and then we can pick it up later."_

"_You've paid for it already, then."_

"_Of course."_

_Naruto made a gesture of acknowledgement, while Sakura fiddled with her bag, and pulled out a coin. "So," she said. "Shall we see where we're going for lunch today?"_

"…_heads." Naruto said._

"_Then I get tails." Sakura said before thumbing the coin into the air. It spun up and then down, Sakura catching it before placing it on top of her hand. "It's tails."_

_Naruto looked miffed, while Sakura patted him on an arm. "Sorry, Naruto." She said. "Looks like I get to pick today."_

"…_fair's fair, I guess." Naruto said with a sigh. "So, where do you want to eat?"_

Sakura stared at the screen before nodding slowly. "That…is a very good idea." She said before glancing at Naruto. "Next time we eat out we're doing that coin toss thing to decide who gets to choose where we eat."

"Eh?" Naruto said, not exactly enthused at the chance of not being able to eat at his favorite ramen stand. "But, Sakura-chan…"

Sakura crossed her arms, and lifted an eyebrow at him. "Fair's fair, Naruto." She said with a small smirk.

Naruto fidgeted at having his future self's words thrown back at him, and then he sighed. "I guess I can't argue against that." He said. "Alright, Sakura you win. Next time we eat out we'll do that coin toss thing."

Sakura grinned in triumph, and Naruto smiled back. Ino rolled her eyes at the sight. "Oblivious…" she muttered.

"You said it." Tenten said.

_Expertly-sliced servings of meat hissed and bubbled as they cooked on a hot plate, both Shinachiku and Hanami staring eagerly even as their father poured sauce on the plate and sent clouds of delicious-smelling steam into the air. "It's almost ready, kids." Naruto said. "Just wait a little longer."_

_Shinachiku and Hanami nodded wordlessly._

"Oh man," Chouji said with a shake of his head. "I'm so jealous of those four. Damn it…I want some of that."

Ino sighed and squeezed Chouji's shoulder. "Later, Chouji." She said. "When we're done here, we'll go and have some BBQ, okay?"

"…yeah, that sounds good."

_Naruto turned the slices of meat, and then poking them with his chopsticks, nodded. "Okay, kids." He said with a grin. "Eat up!"_

"_YES!"_

"_YES!"_

"_Don't forget your manners now!" Sakura snapped._

"_We won't!" Shinachiku and Hanami chorused. "Itadakimasu!"_

_Sakura nodded approvingly, she and Naruto waiting for their children to finish getting their servings before getting their own, and then Naruto added more meat and sauce to the hot plate._

"They seem like they make good parents, don't they, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune quietly asked.

"Now if only they'd move on and grow up in full, here and now." Tsunade said with a sigh.

"_So," Sakura asked as she and Naruto began to eat their lunch as well. "How was your morning?"_

"_Mostly the usual," Naruto said after swallowing a mouthful of rice and meat. "You?"_

"_The same," Sakura said with a shrug. "Nothing more serious than some cuts and scrapes, plus a few cases of the flu. The most exciting part of the morning would probably be some kid who led a few nurses around on a chase because he was too scared of needles._"

Naruto and several other ninjas in the room snickered at that, though Sakura and Tsunade rolled their eyes at how ridiculous some kids could be.

_Naruto knocked on the wooden table. "Let's hope it's not the calm before the storm, though." He said. "It's Tanabata, after all. There will be fireworks."_

"_Don't worry about that." Sakura told him reassuringly. "Our burn and emergency departments have already taken Tanabata into account. We've also stockpiled necessary supplies, and – discreetly – encouraged and made sure local clinics across the village have done the same."_

_Naruto nodded. "That said," Sakura began. "You said 'mostly the usual'. Did something happen?"_

"_The quarterly report from the Pest and Fumigation Office hasn't arrived yet." Naruto said sourly. "It's already been overdue for a week, and we've sent them two follow-ups already, but still nothing. Not only that, but they also took the day off today. I mean, it's Tanabata, but still…! You don't see me or the ninja corps or even the military police taking the day off, do you?"_

"_Same for the medical corps…" Sakura said with a scowl._

Tsunade and Sakura rolled their eyes again. "The day the medical corps takes a day off is the day pigs fly." Tsunade growled.

"…_somehow I get the feeling it's not just the report that's late." Sakura continued. "But also their pest control operations that are behind schedule."_

"_Yeah, that's what I thought too." Naruto said while turning the meat on the hot plate and adding more sauce._

"_You'd think after last year and the first outbreaks of plague since before the war they'd get serious…" Sakura growled. "Should I pay them a visit?"_

"_Hmm…not yet…" Naruto said after a moment's thought. "I sent them a reprimand already, but if they haven't shaped up by the end of the week, I think a…surprise inspection, from the head of the medical corps is in order, isn't it?"_

_Sakura chuckled. "Yes, I think it is." She agreed, before sharing a conspiratorial smile with her husband._

"Wow," Tenten said with a shake of her head. "Those two really work well together. I pity those lazy bastards in the Pest and Fumigation Office. Pissing off the Hokage and the head of the medical corps? Seriously?"

"While I'm all for taking things easy," Shikamaru said with a nod. "Slacking off to the point that rats with plague-carrying fleas got out of hand? Yeah, that's a bit much."

Everyone stared incredulously at Shikamaru who just sighed and shook his head. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything." He said. "Troublesome…"

Neji gave a cough. "In any case," he said. "It seems…Rokudaime-sama? Or is it Nanadaime-sama? Either way, he and Sakura-san seem to have the issue under control. And we might see more on this from further glances into the future. Shall we?"

"…I suppose we should." Tsunade said after a moment. "That's why we're here."

Pressing her hand on the orb once more, it began to glow, and to play the next set of recordings from the future.

* * *

A/N

Primarily focused on Sakura this time, along with her and Naruto's daughter, Hanami.

I've also noticed a lot of people seem to want to see Sasuke with Hinata…well, we'll see. I promise you though, Sasuke will be making an appearance in the Tanabata festival in following chapters.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Chapter 3

"_Would it hurt for either of you to smile?" a beautiful redhead with matching eyes dressed in a dark kimono with colorful floral patterns grumbled. "For gods' sakes, this is a festival, and you're going about it as though it's still just the usual."_

"_We are smiling." Sasuke Uchiha deadpanned, wearing a dark yukata, while the redheaded girl next to him nodded, wearing a white kimono with pale blue floral patterns._

"_What dad said." She chimed in, and Karin Uchiha groaned in frustration. That finally got the slightest of smiles from her husband and daughter._

"Is that Sasuke?" Ino asked, wide-eyed.

"Looks like it." Tenten said.

"That's because it is him." Neji confirmed.

"Ha!" Naruto said with a triumphant pump of his fist. "I knew we'd get through to him and bring him back eventually!"

Kiba growled low in his throat. "After all the shit he's pulled and running off to join that snake bastard in Hidden Sound, he's really just getting welcomed back?" he asked. "Sorry man, but I just can't let it go that easily."

"…I know he's done a lot of bad stuff…" Naruto rose to defend his friend, but that just set Kiba off.

"Bad stuff?" Kiba angrily echoed, and brushing off Hinata's attempt to calm him down. "Gods damn it, Naruto! Did you forget what me and everyone else on that mission went through because of him running off? Some of us nearly died that day! And one of those was you!"

"I know!" Naruto shouted back. "I still have a scar where he shoved a chidori into my chest! But…!"

"ENOUGH!" Tsunade thundered, and causing the two arguing ninjas to break off and then stand down after a deep breath. "That Sasuke Uchiha turned traitor will be addressed at another time. He'll have his chance to speak for himself, and if need be take responsibility for his past actions."

"But, baa-chan…!" Naruto protested, only for Tsunade to gesture at the screen.

"Don't worry too much." Tsunade said. "From the look of things, Sasuke's going to be just fine in the future."

Naruto had no response to that, and glancing once at Sakura as she laid a hand on his arm. Hinata did likewise for Kiba, and then both Naruto and Kiba stepped away from each other.

"…in any case," Kakashi began after a moment. "Who's the redhead with him? I've never seen her before."

"I don't think she's from the village." Kurenai remarked. "Maybe someone he met outside, possibly even from Hidden Sound who defected to us after Sasuke's return or capture?"

"That would be the logical assumption, wouldn't it, Kurenai-san?" Neji asked with a nod.

"It would be." Kurenai said, and the other jounin present nodded in agreement. "It would also be logical to assume that their shared experiences led them to move on from their shared past together."

"So it would seem." Neji said with another nod.

"_Anyway," Mikoto Uchiha said while turning away. "I think I'll go and find the rest of my team. See you later, mom, dad."_

"_Don't get into trouble." Sasuke said, and Mikoto looked mildly offended at the notion._

"_Me? Get into trouble?" she asked. "Come on, dad."_

"_Hn…then let me rephrase that." Sasuke said. "Don't let trouble find you."_

_Mikoto laughed at that. "Don't worry." She said with a small grin. "If it does, I'll just find a way to get out of it, like I always do."_

_Sasuke sighed in resignation while Karin looked on with mild worry as Mikoto strolled off, a hand waving in the air. "That kid worries me sometimes." Karin said with a sigh._

"_Does she remind you of yourself at around that age?" Sasuke asked._

"_Of course," Karin said with a sharp glance at Sasuke. "She's my daughter, after all."_

_Then she blinked and looked down at a little boy, with Sasuke's features and wearing a dark-colored yukata of his own. He tugged at his mother's kimono and pointed at a nearby booth. "Mama," he said. "Onigiri…?"_

_Karin sighed before briefly sinking down to pick up little Itachi Uchiha. "Yes, Itachi-kun." She said with a small smile. "We'll get you some onigiri."_

_That came with an expectant smile and glance at Sasuke, who merely raised one eyebrow. "What?" he asked._

_Karin was unfazed. "You're the one with the money, you know." She pointed out. "How are we supposed to buy anything without you?"_

_Sasuke sighed. "Yeah, yeah," he said, before stepping closer and poking at Itachi on the forehead with a small smile. "Come on, let's go."_

"Okay," Naruto said with a suspicious look on his face. "Something's not right here. Didn't Itachi kill the rest of his clan? Why would Sasuke name his son after him? That doesn't make sense."

"I'm surprised you can make sense of anything in the first place." Kiba remarked.

"Hey…!"

"Enough, both of you." Tsunade growled, and Sakura bopped Naruto on the back of his head, while Hinata firmly pulled Kiba to stand on the opposite side of her and Shino away from Naruto.

"…I suspect there was something more to the Uchiha Massacre than what we know now." Neji said after a moment's thought. "Something that will be uncovered in the future…something that somehow allowed Sasuke to make peace with his brother's memory."

"But what could that be?" Tenten asked. "I mean…didn't Itachi murder his entire family? Not just the adults, but the children as well? What…angle, could there possibly be to make peace with that?"

"I do not know." Neji said with a shake of his head. "Like I said, it's something that will almost certainly be uncovered in the future. Perhaps we might find out in these visions of the future."

"Alternatively," Gai added. "Naming his son after Itachi might be Sasuke's way of clearing the slate for their clan's murder. The first Itachi slaughtered the entire clan…but the second Itachi will carry on what his father started, the rebuilding of said clan."

"…that is also possible." Neji concurred, and both Lee and Tenten nodded in agreement.

_For the nearly the next half hour, the three Uchihas slowly made their way through the festival, past brightly-lit booths and among the lively crowds of all ages also partaking of the festival. Onigiri wasn't the last Sasuke would end up buying for his wife and son, with takoyaki then shaved ice and then pork buns following one after the other. Nor was it purely food, as Itachi soon found himself clutching a plastic bag filled with water in which swam a few small fish, while Karin had cheerfully – if mischievously – tied a Noh mask to one side of her indulgent husband's face, and clutching a couple of stuffed toys she'd prevailed on him to win for her._

"…whipped!" Ino said with a snicker, which set off a storm of other snickers from everyone else.

_Eventually, the Uchihas made their way to a large and well-lit pavilion with a circular table inside, with places set for a large number of people. There was water and even alcohol available on the table, though no food apart from bowls filled with nuts, while overhead there was a colorful banner marked with multiple clan emblems and what was recognizably Naruto's handwriting, wishing everyone a happy Tanabata._

"Looks like a reunion for all of us." Ino said.

"Looks that way." Sakura said, and there were nods all around…except from Shikamaru, who looked a little apprehensive.

"I'm getting a bad feeling about this." He muttered.

_At present though, there were only two people present, both dressed in formal black and white kimonos but for two orange Uzumaki spirals in front, and one wore the Hokage's white coat over his kimono, with the white hat sitting on the table in front of him. "Hey there, you bastard." Naruto said with a grin. "Glad to see you could make it."_

Again, there were snickers all around. "Glad to see some things never change." Sakura said, and Naruto laughed some more.

"_I'd prefer to spend Tanabata at home, to be honest." Sasuke remarked. "We can see the fireworks just as well from there, you know."_

"_Oh?" Naruto asked. "So, why'd you come?"_

"_Karin would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't let the kids go, and Itachi's too young to be left on his own." Sasuke said in a matter of fact way._

"…yeah…some things never change." Naruto said with a sigh.

_Naruto hummed while mischievously smiling. "Then why don't you have Mikoto watch out for him?" he asked._

_As though on cue, there was a shout nearby. "Why do we always get into this kind of trouble together?" Shinachiku angrily asked as he ran past, wearing an orange kimono with colorful firework patterns, and keeping pace with Mikoto. Both had several toys of various kinds hanging from straw ropes tied around their shoulders._

"_Less talking and more running, bamboo shoots!" Mikoto shouted back as they ran out of sight._

"Bamboo shoots…?" Ino echoed before laughing. "Oh yeah, now it makes sense! That's why his nickname is 'Shina'. It's short for Shinachiku!"

Tenten laughed as well. "Looks like the son takes after the father in the category of weird names." She said.

"My name is not weird." Naruto said through grinding teeth, only to get blank looks from everyone around for his trouble.

"Oh really, fishcake?" Ino asked, and Naruto could only flinch back while muttering to himself.

"Leave them alone, Ino." Sakura said while patting Naruto comfortingly on a shoulder. "It fits them both."

"…thanks, Sakura-chan." Naruto mumbled, and Sakura shrugged.

"No problem, Naruto."

_Moments later, and a familiar white dog ran into view with a pair of children happily sitting on his back. "YIPEE!" Hanami yelled._

"_Go, go, go, Akamaru!" Misaki Inuzuka yelled in front of her._

_Akamaru barked once while continuing the chase._

Sakura and Naruto's mouths fell open at the sight. "I-is it really safe for them to be doing that?" Naruto asked while pointing at the screen.

"They'll be fine." Kiba said with a shrug. "If Akamaru let them on his back in the first place and is letting them play tag while riding him, he won't let them get hurt, won't you partner?"

Akamaru barked and wagged his tail, and Kiba grinned before ruffling Akamaru's fur.

"…that's not really very reassuring…" Sakura mumbled.

"_Shouldn't we do something?" Karin worriedly asked while putting her son in a chair and placing a bowl of nuts within reach. Itachi promptly began stuffing nuts into his mouth, oblivious to everything around him._

"_It's just Akamaru." Naruto said with a shrug. "They'll be fine."_

"See?" Kiba said with a wide grin. "Why don't you listen to your future self, Naruto? He seems to have the right idea."

Naruto fumed while Sakura patted him on a shoulder.

"_No offense," Karin said while observing the Hokage and his wife. "But don't you have anything more festive to wear?"_

"_Kimonos are expensive, you know." Sakura replied._

"_Yeah, and the kids get first priority for new clothes." Naruto added. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with wearing formal kimonos here. And your husband's one to talk."_

_Sasuke sighed. "…don't drag me into this." He said. "Though with that said, yukatas are accepted wear for Tanabata."_

"_Anyway," Karin said with a cough. "Sorry if I caused offense, I was just curious. No, there's nothing wrong with what you're wearing."_

"_No, it's fine Karin." Naruto said with a grin._

"_Where is everybody though?" Karin asked._

"_Shikamaru's over there." Sasuke said, pointing to a place at the table where a man wearing a yukata was sleeping with his head resting on folded arms._

Ino palmed her face in frustration as everyone started laughing. Even in the future, some things would never really change.

"…I don't see what's funny." Shikamaru grumbled. "No matter how I look at it, he seems to have the right idea…ow!"

Annoyed at his flippant reaction to his bad habits continuing unchanged into the future, Ino swatted him on the back of his head.

"_Yeah, that's Shikamaru." Naruto said with a resigned tone. "As for everyone else…actually, just about everyone's passed by once already, though most of them wandered off to see more of the festival."_

"_What about you two though?" Karin asked. "Not going to see the festival?"_

"_We already did." Sakura said. "And I wanted to rest for a bit. I had to do a spinal surgery this afternoon, so I'm just a little bit worn out."_

"_Oh, I see. That makes sense."_

"Spinal surgery?" Sakura echoed before crossing her arms. "Yeah, that's complicated and could get really tiring."

"_They'll come back sooner or later." Naruto said. "Not Lee, though. He's still on that A-rank to the Land of Tea, and unfortunately he can't come back right now."_

"How shameful!" Lee erupted with exaggerated frustration. "It is completely unyouthful of me to be unable to finish a mission in time to be reunited with my youthful comrades on such a festive night! Though it has yet to happen, I must make amends! Gai-sensei, would 1000 laps around the village be sufficient penance for such a shame?"

"Yes, 1000 laps should be sufficient!" Gai enthusiastically agreed. "And fear not, Lee! I shall keep you company to further motivate the flames of your youth!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Okay, okay, okay!" Tsunade quickly interrupted. "That's enough of that, there's still more to see for this."

"_Hey, dobe." Sasuke suddenly said before jerking his head in a direction. "Kakashi's here."_

"_Yo." Kakashi said with a raised hand, looking the same as ever. "Looks like everyone's here together…or at least team seven is."_

"That we are!" Naruto happily said, and Sakura just as happily nodded. Standing with his fellow jounin, Kakashi silently gave one of his 'eye-smiles' in agreement.

"_Hey there, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto said, getting up. "You look well."_

"_Hmm…I guess I am." Kakashi said, shaking hands with Naruto before doing the same with Sakura and nodding at Sasuke. "Same for you three…you too, Karin-san. And Itachi, of course."_

_Itachi stared at Kakashi before brightening up and pointing at Kakashi. "Scarecrow! Scarecrow!" he happily yelled._

Laughter erupted from everyone around at that, and Kakashi sighed while rubbing the back of his head. "Scarecrow, huh?" he echoed.

"Well, it fits, doesn't it?" Kurenai asked.

"…I guess."

"_Yes, Itachi-kun." Karin said with a mischievous smile. "It's the scarecrow."_

_Kakashi gave an eye-smile at the little boy before turning back to his students. "So," Sakura asked. "Where's Shizune-san and Obito? Did you get separated, or something?"_

"WHAT?" everyone yelled at once, eyes turning to a surprised and reddening Shizune.

"N-n-n-no! I-I-I don't know anything a-about this!" she stammered out.

Kakashi's single eye was wide though, and he could barely manage to echo the name. "Obito…" he whispered.

* * *

A/N

And there we go. Sasuke and Karin…and while some of you wanted Hinata with him, I just couldn't find a way to make it work. Ditto for Anko and Kakashi.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Chapter 4

"Obito…" Naruto echoed. "Who is that?"

"…one of the members of the original team seven." Kakashi said with a sigh, before briefly lifting up his headband to expose his Sharingan. "He's the one who gave me this eye. He saved my life, you see. And…well…he never got the chance to find another gift to congratulate me with for being promoted to jounin."

No one could find the right words to say, though Gai placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and squeezed tight. Kurenai did likewise to one of Kakashi's arms, and he nodded once after a moment.

"_Hmm?" Kakashi hummed before answering. "I guess we did. Though that's only because Obito needed to visit the toilet. They should be coming along soon enough."_

"_Really, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura began. "Obito's already five. Why don't you simply marry Shizune-san already? It's not like she'll say no, you know?"_

"Kakashi," Tsunade said with a beaming smile that had the man suddenly sweating and everyone nearby taking a step back. "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"W-w-w-what do you mean, Tsunade-sama?" he asked.

"Oh I don't know…other than the fact that you got Shizune pregnant before you married her!" Tsunade exploded. "And even after the fact, you couldn't be bothered to do the responsible thing either!"

"Oh gods…!" Shizune wailed, letting her burning red face fall into her hands.

"I-it hasn't happened yet!" Kakashi stammered out, before his eye widened as he realized it was the utterly wrong thing to say.

"Yet?" Tsunade echoed. "So there's something between you and Shizune already? Kakashi, you little pervert, I swear if you don't start talking right now I'll squish you like a bug!"

"No…that's not what I…!" Kakashi struggled to explain himself, even as veins began to throb on Tsunade's forehead.

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune said, latching onto her teacher's forearm. "There's really no need for that! I mean…something…might, begin in the future, but right now there's really nothing between Kakashi and me. So please calm down already."

Tsunade ground her teeth, and mentally counting to ten, took a deep breath to calm down. She gave a look at Shizune, who sheepishly rubbed the back of her head while letting go of Tsunade's arm. "So," Tsunade began. "There's nothing between you right now?"

"No! Absolutely not, Tsunade-sama!"

"For now." Tsunade ground out before pointing a finger at Kakashi in warning. "I'm warning you, Kakashi. If something grows between you, I expect you to treat her properly. If not…well, you know what I'm going to do to you."

Kakashi sighed in resignation. "Yes, Tsunade-sama." He said.

"But…" Tenten whispered, and Ino nodded.

"If the recording is to be trusted," she said also in a whisper. "Wasn't that whole exchange just now pointless?"

"Then again," Tenten continued. "Who said you have to be married to have kids with each other?"

"Yeah, how old-fashioned." Ino agreed. "Besides, it's not like Kakashi-sensei nor Shizune-san are the old-fashioned sort, are they?"

"I don't think they are."

"Oh, and didn't Tsunade-sama call Kakashi-sensei a little pervert? He does read those books by Jiraiya-sama, after all."

Tenten gasped. "You don't think…" she said only to trail off.

"…they try and act out what's in those books?" Ino finished, the two girls grinning smiles of pure evil as they looked in Kakashi and Shizune's directions.

Shikamaru sighed nearby. "Just my luck to be surrounded by gossiping women." He grumbled.

Elsewhere, Tsunade struggled to bring her temper back under control, Ino and Tenten's gossiping not nearly as quiet as they thought it was. Shooting Kakashi with a stink eye one more time (and causing the man to appreciatively quail as a result), she turned to Shizune with a deadpan look. "Shizune," she said. "We're going to have a long talk once we're done here."

Shizune sighed, her cheeks still pink. "Yes," she resignedly said. "I understand, Tsunade-sama."

"_Well…I've actually been meaning to ask her for some time now…" Kakashi said with an eye-smile. "It's just that I've never been able to find the right opportunity, so…"_

"_Kakashi-sensei, you've been using that as an excuse for years now." Naruto pointed out. "Come on, if I could ask Sakura to marry me all those years ago, can't you do the same with Shizune-san?"_

"_Naruto, you're not exactly the kind to care about whether it's the right opportunity or not." Kakashi pointed out. "You are – were – the number one most unpredictable ninja, after all."_

"_Ha!" Naruto laughed. "That's true!"_

Naruto laughed in the present as well. "Well, I won't deny that!" he said with a grin.

"_That, and you've been asking me out ever since we were in the academy." Sakura pointed out while looping an arm around one of Naruto's own. "You're used to asking me for something, so it probably wasn't that hard to ask me to finally tie the knot with you."_

"_Huh…that makes sense."_

"Wow…" Naruto said with an expression of sudden comprehension on his face. "I never thought of it that way."

"_More importantly," Sakura said while shooting Kakashi a reproving glance. "You really shouldn't deflect the issue back to Naruto, you know. Seriously, Kakashi-sensei…it's been years already. Maybe back before Obito was born, that excuse was valid but now…? I think you're just dancing around the issue and hoping it goes away on its own if you leave it alone long enough."_

"_That's…"_

"_You really need to bring it to a conclusion soon, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto pointed out. "I mean…we can't really force you to do anything…Tsunade-baa, though…"_

Kakashi again began to sweat as Tsunade glared at him. Elsewhere in the room, Naruto and Sakura snickered at his expense as Shizune sighed in resignation.

"…_you don't really need to bring her into this." Kakashi half-heartedly protested._

_All three of his students gave him deadpan looks. "Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke began. "Didn't Tsunade nearly break you in half when Obito was born? And wasn't the only reason she didn't because Shizune asked her not to?"_

"Break him in half, huh?" Tsunade said while cracking her neck. "Sounds like a good idea."

"It also sounds like no one but the parents knew about the details until after the child was born." Gai remarked. "Kakashi my hip rival, I have to say it is simply and utterly unyouthful to let responsibility be delayed for so long."

"…what do you expect me to do about it?" Kakashi asked in exasperation. "It's not like I have a reason to marry Shizune now. Go tell that to my future self, not me."

"…are you sulking?" Kurenai incredulously asked.

"NO!"

"_It's not nice to bully your sensei, you know." Kakashi crossly pointed out. "Besides, we're not the only couple to have kids without getting married. Kurenai and Asuma for instance weren't."_

"…_that's probably only because Asuma-sensei didn't have the chance to take responsibility." Shikamaru said, lifting his head from his arms and then giving a yawn. "There's a world of difference between their situation and yours, Kakashi."_

"_Shikamaru, you were awake all this time?" Sakura asked, looking pissed at the thought._

"_No, of course not." Shikamaru said before resting his chin on his arms. "But you guys were just so loud that I woke up. Troublesome, really…"_

"It really is." Shikamaru agreed in the present.

"More importantly," Ino said with a cough. "Future Shikamaru has a point, Kakashi-sensei. You can't use Kurenai-sensei's situation as an excuse for your own."

"Gods damn it…" Kakashi said, increasingly frustrated. "What exactly am I supposed to do right now? Tell it to my future self, not me!"

"_We're just saying, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto said with raised hands. "You might want to bring this issue to a close before Tsunade-baa forces you to."_

_Kakashi sighed, and then turned to the sound of approaching footsteps. Sure enough, there was Shizune, wearing a plain, navy-blue kimono and leading a five-year old boy in a matching kimono of his own. He looked much like his father, except for the eyes, which matched his mother's own._

"…I'm guessing that's what you look like under the mask huh, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto called.

"…maybe…" Kakashi said, regaining a bit of his cool. "For all you know, Obito might take after his mother more."

"No, he doesn't." Sakura chimed in. "So much for the mask, Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi refused to dignify that with a response.

"_What's all this?" Shizune cheerfully asked. "Did we miss something?"_

"_No…nothing important…" Kakashi said, before scratching his cheek. "Eh…I'll tell you about it later."_

_Naruto and Sakura grinned at that, and even Sasuke managed a small smile._

In the present day, the members of team seven in the room also grinned while Kakashi irritably rubbed the top of his head. Nearby, Shizune fidgeted on her feet, her cheeks pink.

"…finally…after five years…good gods…" Tsunade grumbled.

"_Hmm…alright, but I'll hold you to that." Shizune said. Pulling Kakashi closer, she gave him a peck on a cheek before walking around. "Come on, Obito. Let's go sit next to Itachi, alright?"_

"_Yes!"_

Shizune gave an embarrassed 'meep' and once again covered her burning face with her hands.

_Sitting down next to each other, Itachi and Obito immediately began playing with the remaining nuts in the bowl, all the while babbling childish nonsense to each other. Shizune smiled indulgently before approaching Karin. "Um…Karin-san…can I ask you for a favor?" she asked._

"_What?" Karin asked back, and Shizune leaned in to whisper something into Karin's ear. Karin raised an eyebrow, and then sighed._

"_Yeah, sure." She said. "I'll keep an eye on them."_

"_Thanks! I owe you one!"_

_Smiling to herself, Shizune walked back over to where Kakashi was chatting with Naruto and the rest of the old team seven, and catching him by surprise, pulled him away by an arm. "Sorry, Hokage-sama, Sakura-san, Uchiha-san." Shizune apologetically said. "But I need to borrow Kakashi here for a bit. He still has to show me around some more."_

"_Wait, what?" Kakashi asked in surprise. "Didn't I do that already?"_

"_No…your face was buried in that book of yours, and you only ever got out of it to buy us what we wanted to buy along the way."_

_Kakashi blinked and then his eye widened as Shizune slipped out the copy of Icha-Icha he had on hand and tossed it to team seven. Sasuke caught it, and raised an eyebrow. "Now," Shizune said with a grin, and looping an arm around one of Kakashi's own. "Shall we get going?"_

_Kakashi sighed and then nodded in resignation. "Yeah, I guess we should." He said._

_Shizune smiled wider. "Perfect!" she said, before turning to look over a shoulder as they walked away. "See you later, everyone!"_

"_Enjoy yourself, Shizune-san!" Sakura said._

"_Don't let Kakashi-sensei slip out of giving you a good time!" Naruto added._

"_We will! And I won't!" Shizune replied, while Kakashi shot Naruto a look of betrayal._

Kakashi did likewise in the present day. "That wasn't a very nice thing to say." He chided.

"I'm sure my future self had no regrets." Naruto piously said.

"And it's not like it was something that shouldn't have been said, either." Sakura chimed in.

Kakashi sighed, and scratched at his head before glancing at Shizune. She looked away the moment their eyes met, her cheeks pink, and while Kakashi didn't let it show, he did find himself wondering just how he and Shizune got together.

_Sitting back down, Naruto and Sakura took a look around the pavilion. Shikamaru had gone back to sleep…_

Ino palmed her face again, Tenten patting her on a shoulder. Next to her, Shikamaru yawned with a complete lack of concern.

_...while both Sasuke and Karin were whispering to each other while flipping through the pages of Icha-Icha._

"Oh, no way." Naruto said in disbelief.

"Sasuke can actually stomach that crap?" Sakura said just as disbelievingly.

Kakashi gave an eye-smile. "Glad to see someone else appreciates Jiraiya-sama's work." He flippantly said, and causing Tsunade to give a cough followed by another stink-eye Kakashi's way.

"_Do we want to know?" Naruto asked, eyeing Sasuke and Karin._

"_No…I don't think so." Sakura answered. "We should just watch Itachi and Obito while those two are busy with…that."_

"_Yeah…let's go with that."_

"You sure you two don't want to know?" Kakashi asked.

"NO!" Naruto and Sakura chorused, and Kakashi chuckled only to break off as Tsunade cracked her fingers in warning.

"Let's continue." She growled.

* * *

A/N

No, Shizune and Kakashi aren't married. They probably won't ever, for all that that Naruto, Sakura, and Tsunade among others keep pushing for them to. It's not really necessary, when all is said and done.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Chapter 5

"_Ah! Papa!"_

"_Oh, Uncle Kiba!"_

_Akamaru slid to a halt before a tall man with dark and unruly hair wearing a jounin's uniform, his arms crossed over his chest. "Really, Misaki?" Kiba asked with a sigh. "Don't you have anything better to do than to cause trouble?"_

"_Eh? We're not causing trouble, papa!" Misaki protested._

"_Yeah!" Hanami added with a nod. "We're just chasing after big bro and big sis Mikoto, dattebane!"_

"_Even so, you shouldn't do that in a crowded place." Kiba responded, unmoved. "And to drag Akamaru into it too."_

_Akamaru barked and whined, and Kiba sighed. "Really, partner?" he asked, and Akamaru barked again, and also causing Kiba to sigh again._

"Huh," Ino said. "Looks like it isn't just Naruto who grew up and got responsible. Kiba, too."

"Well, he had a kid, so he had to grow up as well." Tenten concurred. "I wonder who the mother is, though."

"Yeah…I don't see anything about her that could be a hint." Ino thoughtfully said.

"Indeed," Shino agreed. "It would be logical to conclude that the child takes primarily after her father."

"Almost completely like her father, down to his mannerisms." Neji corrected.

Kiba rolled his eyes at the somewhat disparaging remarks of his fellow ninja, though he did smile at how Misaki seemed to be just like him at that age. He had to wonder though, why she didn't have a ninken with her and was hanging around with Akamaru instead. Maybe it was sick and had to be left at home?

Shikamaru though, had a small suspicion on who the mother was. The evidence was small, circumstantial, and weak, so much so that everyone had glossed over it. He could be wrong, but he also might not be.

He kept his mouth shut though. First, because he might be wrong, and second, even if he was right, Ino would probably cause a scene.

And that would make things even more troublesome than they already were.

"_Hey, Shino." Kiba said over a shoulder. "Did you get those two other troublemakers?"_

"_Is that not a bit harsh?" Shino asked a few moments later, emerging from the crowd, and looking completely unchanged from the present day. "As I understand it, they were the ones being pursued, and for no good reason."_

"_Apart from Hanami and Misaki just being Hanami and Misaki, that is." Shinachiku grumbled._

"_That's mean, big bro!" Hanami protested, and then blinked as she caught something Shinachiku tossed at her. The pink-haired girl held up the stuffed toad and regarding it for a moment, grinned. "Thanks, big bro!"_

"Yeah," Ino said with a nod. "She takes after her dad, alright."

"What's wrong with the toads?" Naruto grumbled. "They're cool. Certainly better than snakes."

There was a chorus of assent at that.

"_Hey, Misaki." Kiba sternly said. "Don't you have anything to say?"_

"_Yeah, yeah…thanks, Mikoto-san." Misaki said, clutching a stuffed dog to herself._

_Kiba nodded. "Alright," he said. "Akamaru, take those two back to the pavilion. No side-trips and no more adventures, alright? You've caused enough trouble already."_

"_But, papa…!"_

"_Uncle…!"_

"_No, buts." Kiba said. "Akamaru…"_

_Akamaru gave an unhappy whine, but assented after Kiba gave him a look. The dog turned and padded away, carrying the two disappointed kids with him back to the pavilion. Kiba stared after them for a while, and then turned back to where Shinachiku and Mikoto were dusting themselves._

_Or were, as it seemed that while his back had been turned, a group of children had excitedly run past, only to pause in intrigue at the large number of toys the two genin had on them. Toys that they'd promptly started handing out, though Shinachiku pointedly left a large, stuffed slug on his back, as did Mikoto for a stuffed dog of her own._

"_You never planned on keeping the toys, did you?" Kiba asked._

"_Apart from the stuffed slug, nope." Shinachiku replied._

"Oh, I see a pattern there." Tenten said in realization. "Hanami takes after her old man, but Shinachiku takes after their mother!"

"Old man?" Naruto echoed, sounding offended. "Really?"

"And good thing, too." Ino said, pointedly ignoring Naruto. "Having a spaz for a big brother doesn't really make for a good role model."

And then both she and Tenten were flinching away as Sakura and Naruto shot them with a small dose of concentrated killing intent. "Our daughter is not a spaz!" they snapped in unison.

"…they're not really trying to hide it anymore, are they?" Kurenai whispered to Kakashi.

"Well, Naruto's never really hidden his attraction to her." Kakashi replied in a normal tone of voice. "Sakura just had to grow up and move on past her childish crush, that's all. In hindsight, this was a good thing for them – her – to see."

"Well, if you put it that way."

"_Likewise for the stuffed ninken." Mikoto said._

"…_so, why?" Kiba asked. "Why win them all in the first place?"_

"_Well, why not?" Mikoto asked with a shrug. "They came with all the games we won. Speaking of which, what's the score, Shina?"_

"…_eight-eight," Shina replied after a moment's thought. "Though since we gave almost all our prizes away, shouldn't we reset the score?"_

"…_good point. Want to start over?"_

_Shinachiku checked his watch. "Well, there's still some left before dad told me to be back, so…" he said with a glance and an unspoken question to Kiba._

"_Just don't get into trouble again." Kiba said._

"_Yeah, I get it uncle." Shinachiku said._

"_So…if there's nothing else, we'll be going…"_

"_Yeah, yeah, now scram…" Kiba said with a dismissive gesture, and the younger Uchiha and her Uzumaki friend wandered off._

"That wasn't very nice." Ino said with a frown.

"It's classic Kiba, though." Tenten pointed out.

"True," Ino concurred.

"…_too bad Mai got the flu, though." Shinachiku could be heard over the background chatter of the crowd as they walked away. _

"_Yeah, this whole contest between us would be more challenging if she were here…" Mikoto could be heard replying before they vanished into the press and their voices were lost in the din._

"Who's Mai?" Kiba asked.

"I assume it would be their third teammate." Shino said. "Though at present, there doesn't seem to be any evidence to back it up."

"…you think she's also a kid of one of us?" Kiba asked.

"…possible." Shino conceded. "But there is no reason to assume as such for now.'

"Hmm…guess so…"

"_Something bothering you, friend?" Shino asked._

"_Hmm?" Kiba hummed in response. "No, not really."_

"_I see. Then I take my leave."_

_Kiba nodded and watched as Shino quietly walked off and vanished into the crowd. Then sighing to himself, Kiba also moved on, silently taking in the sights and sounds of the festival while making his through the crowds and past the various booths and pavilions._

"…looks like you're rather lonely, Kiba-kun." Hinata glumly said.

"I'm never alone." Kiba said, patting Akamaru on the head. "But I see what you mean."

"…I get the feeling Misaki's mother might not have been married to Kiba at all." Ino dryly remarked. "Probably some random woman he knocked up in a one-night stand, who then foisted the kid on him."

"Ino!" Tenten, Hinata, and Sakura immediately reproved.

"Fine, fine…"

Kiba just shot Ino a stink-eye without saying anything.

"_Yo, Kiba."_

_Kiba turned to the source of the voice, and found himself looking at Kakashi standing to one side of a fairly busy booth. Shizune was with him, the medic crouching next to a tub of water and trying – unsuccessfully – to catch goldfish with a paper scoop._

Snickers echoed around the room. "Shizune-san," Ino began. "That's a child's game."

"I'm going to have to go with Ino on that one." Tsunade said with a teasing smile at Shizune.

Shizune's cheeks turned pink again. "Leave me alone." She said while turning away with a pout. "I don't call you out for your hang-ups."

More snickers – if self-deprecating this time – went up around the room, everyone present admitting that yes, they all had at least one screw loose. It went with the job, after all.

"_Kakashi-san," Kiba said before glancing at Shizune. "Keeping Shizune-san company?"_

"_That…and showing her around." Kakashi said. "What about you, though?"_

"_Just taking a walk and seeing the sights." Kiba said._

"_And Misaki?" Kakashi asked._

"_I sent her and Hanami back with Akamaru." Kiba replied. "Akamaru should be back soon, though if he stays with Misaki I guess that's alright. I'll head over there later."_

"_Sounds good."_

"_Speaking of which, who's there right now?" Kiba asked. "I passed by earlier, and only Naruto and Sakura were there. Oh, and that lazy bum Shikamaru, of course."_

Again, snickers went up and Ino palmed her face again. "Nice, real nice, Kiba." Shikamaru sarcastically remarked.

"Are you denying it?" Kiba asked with a grin.

"…no."

"Then why bother calling me out for it?"

"…troublesome…"

More snickers went up at Shikamaru's typical response.

"_Naruto and Sakura were still there when I passed by." Kakashi replied. "Same for Shikamaru…oh, and Sasuke and Karin showed up with their son. We left Obito there to play with Itachi while I took Shizune out to sightsee."_

"_I see…"_

"_Ha!" Shizune triumphantly said, and holding up the paper scoop, a goldfish flopping about on top. And then the wet paper gave way, the goldfish falling back into the water with a small splash. "AAAAAAAAA-!"_

Shizune palmed her face as everyone else in the room started laughing.

_Kiba snickered while Kakashi made an eye-smile, though he quickly knelt down and placed a sympathetic hand on Shizune's shoulder. "Come on," he gently told her. "Let me give you a hand there."_

_Kiba watched for the next few minutes as Kakashi and Shizune worked together to catch a fish, and finally succeeded to applause from bystanders, the two lovers sharing a smile between them afterwards._

The girls in the room started gushing at the sweet moment between Kakashi and Shizune on the screen, though the people concerned weren't really sure what to feel. Shizune was fidgeting on her feet, wringing her fingers, while Kakashi just scratched his cheek, his one visible eye half-closed in thought. Tsunade herself looked rather torn, though it was obvious she was fighting back to urge to smile at how happy Shizune looked on the screen.

When all was said and done, that was all she really wanted for Shizune: happiness.

"_Well, I'm going." Kiba said. "See you around, Shizune-san, Kakashi-san."_

_The two of them waved Kiba off, the Inuzuka continuing to wander through the festival. "Kiba…" a familiar voice managed to cut through the crowd, and drawing Kiba's attention._

"_Kurenai-sensei…Gai-sensei…" he said, turning to look at his former teacher, the retired kunoichi enjoying a cup of tea at a booth with a wheelchair-bound Gai._

"WHAT IN THE WORLD?" Gai exploded at the sight.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee said, pointing at the screen. "What has happened to your youth? Its flames seem to have gone out!"

"THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW MYSELF!"

"_Enjoying yourself…?" Kurenai asked as Kiba approached._

"_Just…" Kiba said with a small smile. "Though I'm sure things will get livelier once everyone gets together later. For the most part…"_

"_Oh?"_

"_Lee's still in the Land of Tea." Gai filled Kurenai in. "And Tenten's at home, looking out for her daughter."_

"…_did something happen to Mai?" Kurenai asked._

"Well, that explains who Mai is." Ino said while elbowing a blushing Tenten. "I wonder who the father is?"

"How would I know?" Tenten shot back.

"_I hear she came down with the flu." Kiba said. "Mikoto and Shinachiku were talking about her earlier."_

"_Figures they'd know," Kurenai said. "She's team seven too."_

"Ha!" Naruto said with a pump of his fist. "Looks like the legacy continues."

"…I hope this generation of team seven doesn't end like the previous ones did." Tenten worriedly said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kakashi asked, looking and sounded miffed.

"No offense Kakashi-sensei," Tenten said. "But…um, your generation of team seven…you're the only one left who didn't die…and Naruto-chan's generation…"

"…Sasuke…" Naruto and Sakura glumly said.

Tsunade coughed. "Well," she said. "There's the old saying that things come in threes…or that third time's the charm. I for one think this generation of team seven will do better than the previous ones."

"…I hope so…" Naruto worriedly said, and Sakura nodded in agreement.

"Yeah," she said. "So do I."

"_You'll be joining us later, won't you?" Kiba asked._

"_Of course," Kurenai said with a smile. "The Konoha Eleven will be there, along with their original team leads…mostly…"_

_Kurenai trailed off, and then Kiba was placing a hand on Kurenai's shoulder. "Oh man…" he said. "I'm sorry, Kurenai-sensei I…"_

"_It's fine." Kurenai waved him off with a smile. "It's an old and well-healed wound by now."_

"_But it still hurts, doesn't it?"_

"…_I'm used to it."_

"Kurenai-sensei…" Hinata sadly said.

"For what's it worth," Kiba glumly said. "I'm sorry for my future self bringing it up."

Kurenai gave a hacking laugh. "Thanks, Kiba." She said. "Though like my future self said…it's an old and well-healed wound…"

"For her…" Kiba said.

"…yes…for her…" Kurenai said softly, and immediately team eight was there, surrounding their teacher with Hinata comfortingly hugging the quietly-crying woman.

"_You too, Gai-san?" Kiba asked._

"_Of course!" Gai said with a raised thumb and a smile. "No matter how heavy the scars of battle, my flames of youth still burn defiant. I'll have to be there to honor my student present and his noble comrades!"_

"Gai-sensei…" Lee said while crying in pride. "Even in the twilight of your youth, your flame still shines bright!"

"Scars of battle, he says." Gai said with a small smile, and stroking his chin. "Hmm…I suppose there can no more youthful way to reach my peak, and thence gracefully enter the twilight of my life. And even then, it's no quiet descent into the night, but a defiant stand to burn as brightly as possible to the end!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

Neji coughed. "Since we know Lee is on a mission," he said. "And Tenten is at home caring for her child, I assume I am that one student present there."

"So it would seem." Shino said.

_Kiba laughed and returned Gai's thumb-up. "Nice to see you're still you, Gai-san." He said. "Well, I'll see you later. I want to see some more of what's around before I head back over there."_

_Kurenai and Gai nodded. "See you later, Kiba." Kurenai said._

_Kiba waved back, and then walking away, vanished into the crowd._

* * *

A/N

Let's focus on other characters, shall we? I think I'll leave who Misaki's mother is up in the air for now. It'll be funnier when it's revealed, that way.

Don't worry about Tenten and Lee, though. They might not appear now, but they'll appear in later chapters. And yes, Neji will be there. He has to be. His death saving Hinata and Naruto in canon 'locked in' NaruHina, which isn't the case here. Someone else died saving Sakura and Naruto to lock them in together.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Chapter 6

"_Hello, everyone. Sorry we're late."_

_Eyes turned in the direction of the soft-spoken voice, and falling on Neji and Hinata Hyuuga along with their three children. All three were unsurprisingly dressed in formal, three-layer kimonos in the traditional lavender and white of the Hyuuga Clan, Neji and the children wearing their long hair untied and combed straight down over their shoulders and down their backs._

_They were however, in stark contrast to Hinata, who had tied up her hair into a bun behind her head, held in place with a ring of silver and mother-of-pearl, decorated with sparkling diamonds and polished pearls. More pearls hung in a simple but elegant necklace around her neck, while diamonds sparkled on elegant silver links from her ears._

_It was probably deliberate too, on the part of her family, that her husband and children would follow their family's traditional favor for simple elegance, but embellishing her, the clan matriarch. Their crown jewel, as it were, and crown jewels needed to be shown in all their luster and beauty, with nothing around to detract from it. Quite the opposite, in fact: what was around was meant to reflect its beauty, and magnify it further._

_And so it was with Hinata and her family._

Mouths hung open and eyes stared wide at the screen (for the most part) for what was being shown. If Sakura twenty years in the future was a woman in full bloom, then Hinata twenty years in the future was a vision of a goddess from legends and fairy tales.

"…I take it back." Kiba breathed in evident awe and envy. "Neji is one lucky son of a bitch."

"Given what we're seeing…I don't think anyone can argue against that." Shikamaru said in the same tone.

"…how can any of us even hope to compete with her?" Ino whispered with resignation added to the mix.

"…congratulations…Neji…you too, Hinata…" Tenten slowly said, eyes still enthralled by the semi-divine beauty on the screen.

Neji could only stare with a slight tremble at what was on the screen, having taken a step back in shock and surprise, his usual façade of perfect control and stoicism utterly broken. It didn't help that ever since the chuunin exams three years ago, when his hatred for the main family born of his father's unfortunate fate had been broken, he'd gained something of an attachment, a protective streak, and though he would never admit it, even affection for his cousin.

Of course, given her unrequited love and affection for Naruto Uzumaki, Neji had long since accepted and resigned himself to the fact that nothing could ever exist between them beyond the platonic bonds of family. But…if this was the future…then…

Hinata herself had reverted back to how she had once been, fidgeting on her feet and poking her fingers together, eyes fixed on the floor with a rosy blush adorning her cheeks. For the past three years, she'd been very happy that her cousin's hatred for the main family had abated, if not more than that, being well aware of his growing affection for her. She'd never reciprocated them, for which she felt some guilt at how it must be hurting him on the inside, no matter how much he never let it show, but what could she do? Her heart already belonged to someone else…

…didn't it?

She nervously glanced sideways at Neji, and then gave a meep as their eyes met. That seemed to break the spell, at least for two people, Naruto snickering at the sight. "Go for it, Hinata." He said. "Neji's a good person…he'll make you happy, I'm sure."

"Naruto!" Sakura snapped, and elbowing him in the belly. "Don't say that!"

"…ow…why not?" Naruto groaned, clutching at his torso.

"Don't…" Sakura said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Just don't, you oblivious idiot."

"…not oblivious." Naruto whispered back.

"Really?"

"I know."

"What?"

"I've known for a long time now." Naruto said in all seriousness, still speaking in a whisper. "How she feels about me…but I can't return her feelings. It wouldn't be real…it wouldn't be fair to her…it'd be like condescending to her…I just can't…"

"…why not?"

"…you know why."

Sakura was silent for a long moment. "You deserve someone better than me." She finally whispered.

"…you know that's not true…what you think about yourself, that is."

"…thanks…but you don't need to spare my feelings, Naruto." Sakura whispered with a sigh, and stepping back to lean against a wall. "You don't believe in fate, right? So even with what we're seeing right now…you don't have to settle for me. You should have someone like Hinata…someone who's sweet and kind, not to mention so much prettier than I am…"

"…again," Naruto interrupted. "You know that's not true."

"Naruto…"

"You have a large and charming forehead." Naruto interrupted. "Makes me want to kiss it."

The words died on Sakura's lips as Naruto's words registered. "…what did you say?" she asked in disbelief.

"You have a large and charming forehead." Naruto repeated with a sheepish smile. "Makes me want to kiss it."

Sakura's eyes went wide in shock and disbelief, her mouth working soundlessly for the next several moments. "Naruto…that was you…?" she asked.

Naruto gave a sheepish laugh, and also stepping back to join her against the wall. "Yeah," he admitted while rubbing the top of his head. "That was me…and no, it wasn't a prank. I meant it then, and I still mean it now."

Sakura stared for several moments, and then she gave a small laugh. "Idiot…" she murmured half-heartedly.

"Maybe…" Naruto admitted. "But I'll always be your idiot, no matter what."

"…hmm…then I guess we're both idiots."

Naruto laughed. "Sounds like a perfect match." He said.

"…maybe…" Sakura admitted, and then turning to Naruto shared a smile with him.

"_Wow, looking good, Hinata!" Naruto returned the greeting, before his voice dropped. "Not as good as Sakura, of course."_

"_Naruto!" Sakura elbowed her husband, but Hinata just took it in stride._

"_That's alright, Sakura-san." She said with a smile. "He's your husband, after all. You'll always be the most beautiful woman in his eyes."_

"…_true…"_

_Meanwhile, Neji and Sasuke were staring at each other. "Neji," Sasuke spoke first with a slight nod._

"_Sasuke," Neji reciprocated with a small nod of his own._

"That doesn't look good." Naruto said, pushing off the wall.

"No, it doesn't." Sakura agreed, and doing likewise.

Kiba blinked and then snorted. "Oh?" he said with a feral smile. "Looks to me like I'm not alone on that damn Uchiha."

Neji stayed silent and unmoving, though Sakura put a restraining hand on Naruto's arm as he clenched his fists in frustration and indignation for Sasuke's situation.

_Shikamaru's eyes flashed open, and he pushed himself upright with a yawn. "W-what's this?" he stammered out with deliberately false sleepiness. "Neji and Hinata are here with their kids? What time is it?"_

Tsunade whistled. "Good senses, kid." She said softly. "Nice timing quickly working to defuse the situation."

"…what a pain." Shikamaru muttered while crossing his arms. "But I guess I can't really fault my counterpart for taking action to keep whatever grudges exist between Uchiha and Hyuuga from exploding into the open. Damn hotheads…"

_Naruto pulled up his sleeve to look at his watch. "It's almost eleven." he said before lowering his arm._

"_Really?" Shikamaru said while cracking his neck and stretching his arms, hands settling together in a way that would be obvious to anyone familiar with a Nara would allow him to deploy the Kagemane no Jutsu in a heartbeat. "Huh…it's troublesome, but I probably should try and stay awake from this point on. Otherwise, it'd get even more troublesome later on."_

_Naruto's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Yeah…that's a good idea, Shikamaru." He said, though to anyone perceptive enough, it was clear the Hokage had noticed his jounin commander's deliberate actions, and how his excuse was just a façade of normality._

_Shikamaru just shrugged before throwing a smile Neji's way. "Hey there, Neji-san." He said. "How are you tonight?"_

"_Just fine, thank you." Neji replied with a nod, and turning away from Sasuke. "How about you?"_

"_I had a real nice nap." Shikamaru admitted with a grin. "But all good things must unfortunately end, sooner or later."_

"_True…"_

"_Did you take your family to see the sights and sounds?" Shikamaru asked._

"_Yes," Neji admitted with a small smile. "The children certainly enjoyed it, as did Hinata."_

"_That's good to hear." Shikamaru said._

"_What about you, though?" Neji asked. "You didn't join your family going around?"_

"Oh?" Ino said with an eager grin. "Sounds like Shika finally settled down. I wonder with who?"

"We'll find out soon enough." Shikamaru admitted. "Though I'm still more concerned at what the hell's going on that my future counterpart's distracting Neji…or that Naruto seems to have noticed and given tacit approval."

"Oh I don't know." Kiba said with faux ignorance. "How about the fact that damn Uchiha ran off to join a bunch of freaks and madmen led by a traitor and an evil genius? Oh, and did I mention that he nearly got us all killed when we tried to keep him from doing just that? Come to think of it…wouldn't Gaara dying then and there have started a war?"

"Kiba!" Naruto snapped.

"No, Naruto." Kiba said with a shake of his head. "I'm sorry…I understand how you feel and why you might think of Sasuke the way you do…but after all the shit he's pulled…even if he comes back…even if he somehow makes up for it all or makes it seems like he has…I'll never trust him again. Not after everything he's done…"

Naruto ground his teeth, but found that he couldn't say anything. For his part, Neji simply made a drawing up gesture, and fully regaining his stoic cool that had been lost with the revelation that his future counterpart had apparently built a happy family with Hinata.

"_Ino was dragging them all over the place." Shikamaru said with a shrug. "And you know how she is. Spend hours being dragged all over the place while being drowned in a sea of gossip…sorry, but not for me."_

Tenten giggled while elbowing Ino. "Heads up, girl." She teasingly said. "Looks like you might have ended up with Shikamaru."

Ino spent a few moments humming and hawing over the idea before giving a shrug. "I could do worse." She said, and smirking as Shikamaru visibly staggered and a few hairs came loose. "Besides, as smart as Shika is, he needs a strong hand to get ahead in life, know what I mean?"

"Damn it…" Shikamaru growled. "Anyone but Ino, please…"

"Oh?" Ino asked with half-lidded eyes and sensually massaging Shikamaru's shoulders. "Something you want to say, Shika?"

"None of your damned business." Shikamaru snapped, and Ino laughed.

_Neji's small smile grew wider. "You never change, do you, Shikamaru?" he asked rhetorically._

"_Too troublesome to." Shikamaru dismissively said, and resting his head against an elbow. "I'll leave that to you and everyone else with major hang-ups in life."_

"_Fair enough…" Neji conceded._

_Meanwhile, Hinata and Sakura were sitting next to each other, talking quietly. Then leaning in, Hinata whispered something to Sakura that had the pink-haired woman's eyes widening, only for Hinata to place a hand over her mouth while making a hushing sound. "Oh, sorry…" Sakura quickly apologized. "You probably want to make a big announcement of it, don't you?"_

"…_I don't mind." Hinata shyly said with a rosy blush. "But Neji wants to, so…"_

"I think I can guess what Hinata just told Sakura." Ino said with a big grin. "Wow, you two just can't keep your hands off each other, don't you?"

Neji coughed primly while Hinata meeped and covered her flaming face. "I can't speak for Hinata," Kiba chimed in. "But I'm not really sure how Neji is able to keep his hands off her."

"I can." Tenten said. "And trust me: it's hard keeping your hands off Neji."

"Oh…speaking from experience, are we now?" Ino teased.

Tenten coughed, her cheeks red. "I can neither confirm nor deny such allegations." She primly said, though she winked at Ino who giggled.

"Can you please not discuss the two of us like pieces of meat?" Neji hotly said. "First of all, it's rude, and second, it's making Hinata-sama uncomfortable."

"Oh I'm sure you'll be able to…comfort her, in private, won't you Neji-kun?" Ino teased, and Neji simultaneously reddened while grinding his teeth.

"I…I don't mind…" Hinata mumbled, again poking her fingers together. Fortunately, no one heard her, especially Ino, otherwise things would have gotten even more – to borrow Shikamaru's vocabulary – troublesome than it already was.

"_My lips are sealed." Sakura quickly promised Hinata, and the other woman nodded._

"_Thank you, Sakura-san." She said._

"_How are your kids doing, though?" Sakura asked, changing the topic._

_Hinata sighed before looking her eldest son's way, the boy sitting prim and proper like a true scion of the Hyuuga Clan at the seat marked for him on the table. "Ryuuji…he's much like his father at that age." Hinata sadly said. "Not nearly as bad of course but…I do hope he meets someone like Naruto-kun who'll change him for the better the way it happened for Neji…"_

"…that's not good." Neji breathed, looking worried for the first time since he started watching his future. "That's not good at all."

"No shit, genius." Kiba said. "No offense, but you were something of an asshole back then, until Naruto kicked your ass."

"I am aware, Kiba." Neji said with a glance at the Inuzuka. "Believe me, I am aware. Thankfully, he's not as bad as I was if Hinata-sama's words are any indication, but still…what in the world happened, to turn him like that?"

"_That," Sakura said. "Or he realizes he doesn't have to prove anything."_

_Hinata nodded. "Yes." She said._

"Oh, no way." Ino said with a groan. "He's an ass because he thinks he's not going to be able to live up to his dad's example if he isn't?"

"It's not nearly as unreasonable as you might think." Shikamaru quickly said.

"Yeah," Chouji said with a nod. "We should be thankful our clans are quite lenient with us. Stricter clans, in contrast…"

"And the Hyuuga are the strictest of them all." Shikamaru said with a nod. "From what I know, not even the Uchiha were as demanding of their members as the Hyuuga were."

"And still are, in some ways." Neji said, Hinata nodding in grim agreement.

"We still have a long way to go to change that." She said.

"Indeed."

"_How about Haruka and Akiko, though?" Sakura asked, and Hinata immediately brightened up._

"_They're doing pretty well." She said. "The clan's expectations aside, they're much more relaxed than their big brother, and have plenty of friends they spend time with, both inside and outside the academy."_

"_I trust Ryuuji's not making trouble for them?" Sakura asked a bit worriedly, and Hinata giggled and shook her head._

"_No," she said. "Actually…that might be one good thing about the way he thinks."_

"_Oh?"_

_Hinata nodded. "He says that since he's clan heir," she said. "Then the burden of expectation should be on him, and not on his sisters. They can just be happy, and leave everything to him."_

"_Huh…that's pretty…impressive, actually." Sakura said. "If a bit too serious for his age."_

"_Maybe…" Hinata conceded. "But it's a comfort considering everything else I worry about him."_

"_True."_

Neji nodded slowly. "I suppose…that is an…admirable, way of thinking." He conceded.

"Now if only he'd be less of an ass otherwise." Kiba said.

"…not the way I'd put it," Neji said with another nod. "But based on personal experience…I suppose it's not inaccurate either."

"Don't you know it."

"Indeed."

* * *

A/N

Naruto finally admitted it, and while you shouldn't expect them to crawl into bed together anytime soon, Tsunade's advice to them both from a few chapters ago is finally getting through. They still have a long way to go…but the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Yes, I know Neji and Hinata getting married is technically incest, considering they are first cousins, but considering that a) they are nobility (albeit untitled), and b) they have a bloodline limit, it's not really that surprising. There's also a political element involved, but I think I'll keep that secret for now.

The future's not all it seems to be, eh? That's deliberate on my part, as I'm actually thinking of expanding on these snippets of the future, and making a full and proper story out of them.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Chapter 7

"_Hi!" Misaki shouted as she and Hanami rode in on Akamaru's back. "We're back everybody!"_

"_Did you catch your big brother, Hanami?" Naruto asked as Hanami jumped down from Akamaru and ran over._

"_No." she said while jumping into her father's arms, Naruto quickly depositing her in his lap. "Uncle Shino and Kiba did, though big bro gave me this!"_

_Hanami held up the stuffed toad Shinachiku had given her, and waved it in the air. "Did you say thank you to your big brother?" Naruto asked._

"_Yes, dattebane!" Hanami said with a grin._

"_That's a good girl!" Naruto said, smiling wide while hugging his little girl tight, Hanami squealing in delight._

"_Really, Naruto." Sakura chided, though it was clear her heart wasn't in it. "Hanami's not a stuffed toy, you know. Speaking of which…so, what do you plan to name your new doll, Hanami?"_

_Hanami made a show of childish thought, before smiling and hugging her new doll tightly. "Gamatora!" she said happily._

_Naruto laughed at that, eyeing the stuffed toad's orange and black pigmentation. "Well," he said. "I don't know about you, but it fits."_

_Sakura just smiled indulgently, though holding her arms out had Naruto pass Hanami to her. At the same time, she gestured with her head to where a pair of women were arriving dressed in bright, floral kimonos, chatting excitedly to each other while clutching paper fans and paper cups of shaved ice in their hands. "Hey ladies!" Naruto gave a call. "Did you enjoy yourselves?"_

"_Yeah, we did, Naruto. Thanks!" Ino shouted back, her once-long blonde hair now cut into a bob, and wearing golden earrings on her ears._

"Aww," Ino moaned unhappily. "I cut my hair in the future? Why on Earth would I do that?"

"I don't know." Tenten said with a shrug before giving Ino a smile. "But look on the bright side. At least you're no less pretty than Sakura is."

"…true enough." Ino said after a moment's thought. "I can stand losing to Hinata, but to billboard brow? No way in hell."

"I heard that, Ino pig." Sakura growled, and Ino stuck her tongue out at Sakura in response.

"Real mature, ladies." Tsunade reprovingly said.

_Temari though was looking around in concern. "Naruto, Sakura," she began. "Have you seen Hitomi anywhere?"_

"Shit," Shikamaru said, eyes going wide in recognition, and breaking out into a sweat. "That's Temari. This isn't good, I just know it…"

He trailed off and winced as both Ino and Tenten cackled behind his back. "Oh, this is going to be good." Kiba gleefully said while rubbing his hands together.

"You've been dancing around the issue for years now, Shika." Sakura said with a grin of her own. "Time to face the music."

"Knock it off, guys, come on." Shikamaru breathed.

_Naruto blinked. "Wait," he said. "Wasn't she with you and Ino earlier?"_

"_We got separated earlier." Temari said. "I think that was when me and Ino got distracted by Misaki and Hanami running around with Akamaru. I assumed she must have wandered off into the crowd, and even if we didn't run into each other afterwards, or if she got lost, we'd find her here eventually. This place is pretty much dead center of the square."_

_Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Hitomi? Get lost?" she asked. "Uh, Temari…isn't Hitomi supposed to be a genius like her father? How can she even get lost?"_

"No. No! NO!" Shikamaru muttered, one eye twitching as he shook his head.

Naruto snickered as did several others. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" Kiba repeated in counterpoint.

_Temari gave Sakura a deadpan look. "You said it." She said. "She's like her father."_

"_Hey!" Shikamaru protested, and breaking off his conversation with Neji. "I resent that."_

"Shit! Fuck!" Shikamaru started swearing as everyone else broke out laughing. Naruto and Sakura were supporting each other to keep standing, one arm clutching their stomachs from their sheer glee, and the same went for Ino and Tenten. Kiba was leaning against the wall and beating it with a fist, with only the Shino and the two Hyuuga present not laughing.

No, scratch that: it was more restrained, but judging from the shaking of their shoulders, both Neji and Hinata were laughing as well, in an ever-so-refined fashion. Tsunade was laughing uproariously, with the four other jounin present – Kakashi, Kurenai, Gai, and Shizune – also laughing away.

Well, Lee wasn't laughing…not that his reaction was much better.

"Well done, Shikamaru-san!" he instead said, throwing a thumbs up Shikamaru's way. "You have reached the pinnacle of the flames of your youth!"

"I knew you'd marry her eventually!" Naruto shouted, still struggling to stay on his feet. "Way to go, Shika!"

"What is wrong with him?" Shikamaru raged, running a hand through his hair. "Actually marrying that woman? Now there are two of them! Three if you count Ino! Shit! Fuck!"

"Well, I don't know about you," Ino said while wiping tears from her eyes. "But I think Shika's in good hands."

"Oh no argument there, sister!" Tenten said, before dissolving into a fresh storm of laughter. Reduced to a laughingstock and disgusted with himself, Shikamaru could only palm his face in frustration.

"_You could at least be more concerned, Shika!" Temari snapped._

"_What for?" Shikamaru replied. "Hitomi's fully capable of taking care of herself. Certainly more than I was at her age."_

"Wow…pretty callous, aren't you?" Ino said with a disapproving look at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru looked unimpressed. "…Ino," he finally said. "Hitomi's a ninja. The moment she graduated from the academy, she was a trained killer. Even more so, considering who her mother is."

"…point…" Ino said before rallying, unwilling to give up the argument. "But it would also depend on how old she is."

Shikamaru shrugged. "If she's old enough that…Temari, wasn't overly worried when Hitomi wandered off," he said. "Then that argument doesn't really hold water."

"_Shika!"_

_Shikamaru sighed. "Fine, fine," he said before turning to Neji. "…Neji…?"_

"_Already on it." He said, Byakugan already active. And then turning, he pointed to a tree on one side of the pavilion. Everyone stared at the tree, considering there wasn't anyone there, and then Temari sighed as it all came together. Approaching the tree, she looked up dully and found herself looking at a blonde girl dressed in a floral kimono, snoring away while languidly stretched out over a particularly thick branch._

Snickers echoed across the room at the sight. "She might look like her mother," Sakura said. "But she otherwise takes after her father."

"Poor Temari." Ino sighed.

"Poor her?" Shikamaru incredulously said, looking at Ino up and down. "Poor me! I'm going to have to put up with that woman…though I guess Hitomi's not so bad. She certainly seems to have her mind along the right lines of thought."

"…point." Ino conceded after a moment, and actually derailing Shikamaru in the process.

"…really?" he asked.

"Yeah…" Ino said with a slow nod, before smirking. "Poor girl, that she takes after her father instead of her mother."

"…never mind."

"_HITOMI!"_

_The blonde girl jolted awake at her mother's voice, and flailing around lost her balance to fall off the tree and down to the ground. "Ouch…that hurt…" Hitomi Nara groaned as she pushed herself upright. And then remembering, uneasily looked up to find her scowling mother looking down on her with arms crossed over her chest. "Um…hi, mom. Fancy seeing you around here…ow!"_

_Temari grabbed her daughter by the ear and forced her to her feet. "I can't believe you sometimes." She snapped. "To think you wandered off only so you could find a quiet spot to sleep in…do you have any idea how worried I was when I realized you were gone?"_

"_Mom, I'm a ninja!" Hitomi protested. "I can take care of myself!"_

"_That's not an excuse!"_

_Shikamaru palmed his face as Temari continued to scold Hitomi while leading her into the pavilion, and forcing her to sit next to her father. Parent and child gave each other resigned looks…and unfortunately, Temari noticed._

"_I saw that!" Temari exploded. "Really, you two…"_

"Good gods," Shikamaru sighed as Temari continued her scolding. "Is there no end to this?"

Naruto snickered. "I'm pretty sure your mom would approve of her, Shika!" he said.

"…yeah, she would." Shikamaru said with another face-palm.

_Elsewhere, Misaki was busy throwing nuts at Itachi and Obito, the two younger boys dodging as best they could while throwing nuts back. Misaki suddenly broke off to sniff the air though, and turning downwind, noticed her father sneaking around the pavilion. The older Inuzuka noticed, and winking at his daughter, held a finger to his lips in a hushing gesture._

_Misaki giggled and signaled back her understanding._

"What are you planning, Kiba?" Kurenai said with a sigh.

"I take it back." Ino said with an air of disappointment. "At heart, Kiba hasn't changed at all."

"Or maybe he's regressed to try and escape the truth that he's getting old." Tenten said with a smirk.

"Hey!" Kiba protested.

_Kiba continued to silently stalk his prey, and then tensing, pounced forward. "Hey there, sweetheart!" he said, grabbing a surprised Ino from the back and lifting her up and around._

"_KYA!" Ino yelled in surprise before scowling over a shoulder. "Kiba, you horn dog! Let me down!"_

"_Only after you give me a kiss."_

"…_oh fine."_

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!" Ino started screaming in horror, pulling at her hair as her face turned white.

"…my ears hurt." Naruto said, holding his head as Ino finished screaming, and he wasn't the only one.

"Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods…" Ino frantically repeated, still pulling at her hair, utterly mortified at the future in store for her. "I get involved with the mutt of all people? What in the world happened? Was I really that desperate?"

"Well, sorry for being a rebound, you gossipy bitch." Kiba shot back. "And honestly, I'm not really sure why my future self would even want to get involved with you. It was just a one-night stand after all, wasn't it?"

There was a moment of profound silence, and then horror turned to utter rage. "WHAT WAS THAT?" Ino thundered as she grabbed Kiba by the collar. "DID YOU JUST CALL ME A SLUT?"

"You were the one who said it was just a one-night stand." Kiba unrepentantly answered, and with a raised middle finger to boot.

"You mangy mutt!" Ino raged, and shaking Kiba violently in the air by his collar. "I am going to kick your sorry ass and send you crying back to your mother, do you hear me?"

"Bring it on, bitch!"

"Ooh, hate sex," Tenten said with a smirk. "Kinky."

Kiba and Ino shot her a look that had the weapons specialist taking a wary step back. "YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!" they shouted in unison.

"What was that you said earlier about me and Naruto syncing so easily?" Sakura now chimed in with a smirk of her own. "I could say the same about you and Kiba."

"YOU STAY OUT OF THIS TOO!"

Sakura just rolled her eyes, completely unfazed. It was nothing compared to Tsunade's scolding whenever something was messed up in the medical field. That said…there was a nagging thought, which tugged at both Sakura and Naruto's minds even as they watched Kiba and Ino tearing at each other. Verbally initially, and then physically, leading to their teammates being forced to separate them from each other, along with bops on the head from an irritated Tsunade.

"…isn't Ino interested in Sai?" Naruto asked in a whisper.

"You noticed?" Sakura asked back in surprise.

Naruto gave her a blank look. "Like I said," he replied. "I'm not oblivious."

"Right, sorry about that." Sakura said. "About Sai and Ino…maybe it didn't work out?"

"Could be," Naruto conceded. "Speaking of which…where is Sai?"

"Maybe he's out on a mission like Lee and couldn't come?" Sakura offered.

"Hmm…"

The duo shared a wondering glance, and then turned back to the screen.

"_Mama!" Misaki yelled, running towards and then leaping towards her mother. Ino caught her with a smile, and hugged her tight before putting her back on the ground._

"_Hey there, sweetheart." Ino said, her smile growing wider as she crouched down. "Did you enjoy yourself earlier?"_

"_Yup!" Misaki said with a nod. "Me and Hanami had a great time with Akamaru! Oh, and we played tag with big bro Shina and big sis Mikoto too!"_

_Kiba rolled his eyes behind Ino but said nothing. "Big sis Mikoto gave me this, too!" Misaki said, holding up her stuffed ninken with a smile. "He looks like Goromaru, right?"_

"_Yeah, he does." Ino agreed, and Misaki's smile grew wider. "Did you say thank you to Mikoto-chan?"_

"_Yeah, of course!"_

"_That's a good girl!"_

"_Yay!"_

_Ino got up and took her daughter's hand while leading her back to the pavilion, Kiba bringing up the rear._

"Goromaru, huh?" Kiba said while scratching his head, and wincing when he touched the bump Tsunade's fist left behind. "Wonder why she didn't bring him along with her? Could he be sick, or something?"

"No offense Ino-chan," Tenten said to a depressed-looking Ino. "While you might not like being involved with Kiba right now, your future self looks really happy. In fact, I'd say motherhood and married life suits her just as well as they suit Sakura."

"…sorry, Tenten." Ino said with a sigh. "But that doesn't really make me feel any better."

Tenten sighed in her turn. Really…her friend could just be so stubborn.

* * *

A/N

What? Did you think I'd keep Shikamaru and Temari apart? No way…no matter how much Shikamaru might gripe over it, their pairing is a match made in heaven (or hell depending on who you ask).

Team ten – well, two of them at any rate – is actually proving to be very fun to write, if only because Ino and Shikamaru are both such comedies.

And then we have the question of the hour: where's Sai?


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Chapter 8

"_One…two…three…smile!"_

_The flash went off as the camera snapped a picture of the Uzumaki family, Naruto and Sakura sitting next to each other. Hanami sat in her father's lap, while Shinachiku sat next to his mother, one of her hands on his shoulder._

_The camera hummed as it printed out a copy of the picture, which the photographer took and fanned a few times to dry, before placing it and sealing it in a ready-made frame which was then handed to the Hokage. "Thank you very much." Naruto gratefully said, as he took the framed picture of himself and his family, and handed the photographer a generous tip._

_The man bowed as the Hokage stepped past, catching up to his family as they returned to the pavilion. Everyone else had already had their pictures taken, with the Uzumaki having decided to wait until the end to get theirs. This meant that by the time they returned, dinner was in full swing, the pavilion table all but groaning under the weight of the dishes the Akimichi had agreed to provide for the night._

_There were pork and shrimp dumplings both fried and steamed, beef wanton also fried or steamed, as well as pork buns and shark's fin dumplings. There was also noodle soup of various kinds, starting with prawn or beef wanton or mushroom, and then into various combinations thereof._

_There was rice both steamed and fried, still steaming fresh from the kitchen, as well as freshly-roasted chicken and beef cooked in oyster sauce with mushrooms and greens. There was fish fillet cooked in sweet and sour sauce, or fried in a wok with special sauce. There was stir-fried pork and breaded calamari, and fried chicken chops, and many other dishes besides._

Ino patted Chouji on a shoulder as the Akimichi groaned at the sight of so many delicious dishes but not being able to even so much as catch a whiff of them, much less even a taste. "Don't worry, Chouji." She reassured him. "Once we're done here, we'll go and get something to eat. Whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?" Chouji echoed.

"Yup." Ino promised him, and Shikamaru winced as he found himself wondering just how much it was going to cost them to make up for Chouji getting frustrated at all the food he'd seen but couldn't get on the screen.

_For drinks there was water and alcohol for the adults, as well as various fruit juices for the children. Of course, the adults could drink whatever they wanted…_

…_which ran into the fact that fully-graduated genin were technically adults._

_Well, Shinachiku knew better than to try. Sakura could be indulgent, but when she put her foot down, she put her foot down._

_Others though…Naruto snickered slightly as Sasuke and Karin had a slight argument that ended with Sasuke rolling his eyes in exasperation as Karin firmly put a bottle of sake and a sake saucer out of Mikoto's reach. The Hokage snickered again as Karin swatted her daughter's shoulder after Mikoto had the temerity to make a face at her mother._

_Naruto's amused observations came to an end at a shout from Kiba. "Speech, Naruto, speech!" he shouted._

"_Wait, what?" Naruto asked in surprise, but by the now the call was being taken up by everyone in the pavilion._

"_Speech, Naruto, speech!" they shouted, whether the actual members of the Konoha Eleven, or their surviving teachers, or their families. "Speech, speech, speech!"_

"…thanks a lot, Kiba." Naruto grouched to Kiba in the present day.

The Inuzuka laughed. "Don't mention it." He said with a grin, and Naruto sighed in exasperation.

_Naruto stared at his hat as Sakura offered it to him, and blankly glancing at his wife gave in at her encouraging smile. Taking the hat, Naruto put it on before getting to his feet to a storm of cheers and applause._

"_Well, I'll be honest." Naruto began. "I never prepared a speech for this, so I'll have to make this up as it goes."_

"_Isn't that what you usually do?" Sasuke joked, and Naruto waved him off as laughter went up around the table._

"Well, it's true." Kiba remarked.

"Hey!" Naruto snapped in indignation.

"_Anyway," Naruto continued as the laughter died down. "It's good to see that everyone who could come managed to come, so let me just say thanks for coming everybody, and here's to a happy Tanabata for all of us!"_

_More cheers and applause went up, though Naruto didn't sit down yet, not finished with his impromptu speech. "It's been what, fourteen? Sixteen, years since the Fourth Shinobi World War came to an end…"_

"WHAT?" Tsunade exploded, the blood draining from her face. "The Fourth Shinobi World War?"

Nor was she the only one to pale at the realization that very soon, all the tension and crises of the recent years would come to a boil, and tear the peace and quiet they knew at present down, dragging them all into the bloodshed and ruination that could only come with a war. Kurenai, Kakashi, and Gai, who had all fought in the Third Shinobi World War (as had Tsunade) suddenly had what warm feelings they had born of the glimpse they'd been shown of the bright future awaiting the next generation drowned by the bitter memories of the bloody past, and sobering up as they considered the cost the next generation must have paid to get through it.

Said next generation were all struck silent, filled with apprehension and anxiety at what was looming over them in the near future.

"…_we probably should have met like this six years ago," Naruto continued. "But, you know what they say about better late than never."_

_There was a murmur of agreement around the pavilion at that. "It's also not as though we haven't been busy with our lives and jobs in those years," Naruto continued. "Building a peaceful world for our children and their children, where shinobi don't have to be soldiers on the battlefield, but protectors of the peace so others don't have to have blood on their hands, and people can sleep easy at night."_

_Again, there was a murmur of agreement around the pavilion at Naruto's words. "We've come a long way," Naruto said with a grin. "We've done so much, and while we still have so much to do, here and now, I'd just like to say, let's keep at it and do our best, everyone!"_

_Cheers went up at that. "Let the flames of your youth burn the brightest for the sake of peace, everyone!" Gai cheered from his armchair, and more cheers went up._

Gai chuckled even as Kakashi placed an agreeing hand on his shoulder, Kurenai smiling along with Tsunade and Shizune. Across the room, the atmosphere lightened as everyone realized that while the immediate future seemed bleak and dark, it didn't have to be that way, and if they continued to fight for what they believed in, they could get through the darkness, and see the dawn of a new and better tomorrow.

"_Before we return to this fine dinner our good friend Chouji and his family prepared for us all," Naruto continued with a bow in the direction of a mustachioed Chouji dressed in a dark yukata, the Akimichi getting up to bow to applause from around and cheers from his wife Karui and their three sons. "I'd just like to ask all of us here one last thing."_

_Silence fell at the unusual solemnness of Naruto's tone. "We all know the legend behind tonight's festival." He said. "Tonight…Orihime and Hikoboshi meet for the only time in a year. Tonight…that which is otherwise unreachable becomes reachable…so on this night, let's think of all those who gave their lives so we can be happy here and now, and let them hear our gratitude and remembrance."_

_Naruto paused and swept the table with his eyes. "Thousands died during the war," he said. "Or even before then, in the events leading up to the war. Friends…relatives…even just ordinary comrades of the Shinobi Allied Forces who fought to keep Madara Uchiha from ending all the world's hopes and dreams forever. Let us remember them even as we remember those most important for us here in this pavilion…Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Itachi Uchiha…"_

"…I see." Neji said. "So he was a double agent? It explains a lot if not all…"

Murmurs went up at that realization, though they quickly quieted down as Naruto's future counterpart continued naming people who died fighting against Madara Uchiha and whatever plan he had to bring the world under his heel.

"…_Shikaku Nara…"_

Shikamaru reeled back as though struck, legs suddenly threatening to give out under him. "D-dad?" he whispered. "Dad's going to die in the war…?"

"…_Inoichi Yamanaka…"_

Ino collapsed to the ground in shock in her turn. "No…NO…NO!" she shouted. "It can't be…he wouldn't…how…"

"…_Sai…"_

And now both Sakura and Naruto reeled back with gasps of horror. "No…he wouldn't…" Naruto breathed in disbelief. "Sai…he wouldn't die on us…would he…he can't…"

"…it's war, kid." Tsunade said with a sigh, her face falling as she remembered the brutality and bloodshed of the last war. "You can't save everybody. People die in a war you can't change that. And…"

"Like hell, I won't!" Naruto exploded. "If people die in war, then we'll just have to make sure there won't be a war!"

"Oh?" Tsunade asked. "And how do you plan to do that?"

"Madara Uchiha is the enemy, right?" Naruto asked back. "The man behind the Akatsuki…we'll just have to find him…end him…end his plans before they can start a war. That's all there is to it, dattebayo!"

"He makes it sound so easy." Shikamaru grumbled.

"Typical," Kiba agreed.

"Very risky…" Neji opined. "If we change too much here and now, then the future we see will never come to be. Are you prepared to risk that?"

"What?" Naruto asked with a cocky smile. "Did you forget that I don't believe in fate? If fate says we have to fight a war and lose people we care for to get that shining future we see on the screen, then I say to hell with fate! We'll stop Madara and Akatsuki without having to fight a war! The people we care for will be with us in that future we're going to have! We'll do all that and more, or my name isn't Naruto Uzumaki, dattebayo!"

Neji locked eyes with Naruto for several long moments, and then his lips twitched into a smile. "…you just might make a good Hokage, after all." He admitted, and Naruto smiled wider.

"Of course I will." He said. "It's my dream, and I never give up on my dreams, no matter what."

Neji smiled wider, and then Kiba was helping Ino to her feet. "I still think it's something of a gamble." He said. "But Naruto's right. It doesn't have to go as our counterparts remember it. Think of it like cutting off the head of a snake. If Akatsuki really will be the ones starting the next war, then all we really need to do is get rid of Madara, and Akatsuki will crumble."

"It is a gamble." Shikamaru agreed. "But sometimes…taking a risk and rolling the dice is just what you need to do to win."

Tsunade made a disgusted sound. "You're all a bunch of naïve brats." She sneered, though her eyes showed no real venom beneath the surface. "Even more reason to keep a war from erupting then. I'd be surprised if any of you lasted a day."

"Winning a future without having to spill the blood of thousands for it." Gai said with a nod. "A most youthful challenge, is it not, Kakashi my eternal rival?"

"…just this once," Kakashi said with a nod. "I'm going to have to agree, Gai."

Slowly but surely, the atmosphere of resignation, apprehension, and anxiety was replaced with one of endurance and resolve. There would be battles ahead of them, struggles and difficulties, but they would face them all without fear, and win the future they all wanted while protecting everything they held dear.

_The moment of silence passed, and then taking the saucer of sake Sakura had poured for him, Naruto raised it into the air. The adults did likewise, the children lifting their glasses of fruit juice, joining the Seventh Hokage in a toast._

"_Here's to all who gave their lives freely and willingly so we could have this future we now live in," he said. "And here's to the future we all build together for the sake of the generations to come. Everyone, a toast!"_

"_Cheers!" everyone in the pavilion chorused before taking a drink, and then Naruto grinned._

"_Now," he said. "Let's enjoy ourselves, and have a happy Tanabata!"_

_Cheers and applause went up, Naruto giving a bow before sitting back down and removing his hat even as Sakura gave him a peck on the cheek. "Very nice speech, Naruto." She said._

"It really was." Sakura agreed in the present.

"Thanks, Sakura-chan."

"_Thanks, Sakura." Naruto said, before Hanami clambered onto her father._

"_Happy Tanabata, daddy." She said with a grin, and Naruto smiled back even as he patted her on the head._

"_Happy Tanabata to you too, Hanami." He said before turning to his son. "You too, Shina."_

"_Likewise, dad." Shinachiku said, grinning as he shared a fistbump with his dad._

"…_what, no well-wishes for me?" Sakura faux-groused, only to giggle as Naruto gave her a kiss on the cheek as well._

"_Sorry to keep you waiting, Sakura." He said with a wink. "Though…you did keep me waiting too, remember?"_

"_Hmm…guess I did…but it was worth the wait, wasn't it?"_

_Naruto didn't reply at once, instead looking at his children. Shinachiku busy chatting with Mikoto over something she wanted to try the next time team seven met to train, and at Hanami eating away at a platter of dumplings. And that was answer enough._

"_Yeah…it was definitely worth the wait." He said, taking his wife's hand, Sakura squeezing back as she shared a smile with her husband._

* * *

A/N

Yeah, it was Sai who died during the war. He saved Naruto and Sakura from Obito's attack, though before dying he managed to tell the former to stop hurting himself for what he thought would make Sakura happy, and told the latter to stop lying to herself. As in canon, Naruto wavers at his friend's death, and Obito offers him one last chance to stop fighting, and join Obito in making a world where Sai still lives, only for Sakura to rally Naruto's spirit, and hands joined, they rise to their feet while linking their chakras together.


	10. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it is owned by Masashi Kishimoto.

Facets of the Future

Epilogue

_The image on the screen flickered and then showed Naruto sitting on his desk, again wearing his jounin uniform, which in hindsight had orange Uzumaki spirals on either sleeve. The Hokage's white cloak and hat hung on a nearby rack, and judging by what could be seen through the windows, it was another day, the festivities of Tanabata done and past for another year._

"_Hey there, Konoha Eleven and everyone else." Naruto greeted with a grin and a raised hand. "Did you enjoy the show?"_

"Is he talking to us?" Ino asked.

"…it would seem so." Neji said with a nod. "I believe this is a message from the future Naruto to us all."

"…and given what he just asked," Shikamaru said. "I think this is the end of this glimpse into the future."

"_I'm sure you all have so many questions," Naruto said. "But I think we can boil them down to three. Why did I – we – send this message and glimpses of here and now to the past? Is the future set in stone? And why wasn't more…useful, information like the details of the war sent instead?"_

"…yeah…that's pretty much it, actually." Tsunade said with a nod.

"_Two answers for the first question." Naruto said. "One is because we all remember watching what you saw. Well, it was a long time ago from our point of view, so even I'm not really sure if the details are the same…more to the point, someone had to have sent those glimpses to us…you…time travel makes my head hurt."_

There was nervous laughter at that, though the more intellectual people in the room were troubled by the implications of what Naruto's future self said. Apparently, he and everyone else remembered watching glimpses of the future in their own time, which implied a temporal loop wherein future actions were taken to insure something happened in the past to ensure that future came to be. It was…disturbing.

"_Second answer to the first question," Naruto said. "Well, it's like what baa-chan wrote in her letter to her past self. Things are about to get really…difficult, for all of you in the next few months, so we'd like to give you what encouragement we can. No matter how hard things will get, no matter how bleak and hopeless the future might seem, no matter how tempting it becomes to just…give up, and let Madara have his way, keep at it. Fight for what you believe in. Fight for what's right. Protect your hopes, your dreams, the people you love and care for…all for that moment when the fighting stops and the smoke clears, and the future everyone looks forward to dawns on the horizon."_

_Naruto paused and laughed. "I'm talking big, aren't I?" he asked._

"No," Neji said with an unusual smile and a glance at Naruto. "That sounds just like you."

Naruto laughed and rubbed at his head, as everyone in the room smiled at him, and Sakura patted him fondly on an arm.

"_Moving on to the second and third questions," Naruto continued, and tilting his head in a subtle challenge. "Tell me, Konoha Eleven, baa-chan, Kakashi-sensei, Gai-sensei, Kurenai-sensei, and especially you, Naruto Uzumaki: do you believe in fate?"_

That last was punctuated with a finger pointed at them, and Naruto lowered his face, eyes narrowed in determination. "No, I don't." he said.

"Neither do I." Neji said.

"Or me." Kiba followed.

"Nope." Shikamaru said.

"What Shika said." Chouji chimed in.

"Of course I don't." Ino said.

A chorus of denials went up one after another, and as though expecting such a response, the older Naruto on the screen smiled while giving them all a thumbs-up.

"_And there's your answer." He said. "Like I said earlier, I'm not sure the details of the glimpse we saw are the same as these glimpses we sent you, because the future has been changed. Maybe Shikamaru's right, and by doing so we erased an entire timeline out of existing…or maybe, well…never mind who said it, we simply created a new timeline branching off from the previous one, one of many which only differ from the rest in a few details more or less…"_

_Naruto trailed off while shaking his head. "Time travel makes my head hurt." He grumbled again._

There was a chuckle around at that, while Shikamaru stroked his chin. "Interesting food for thought," he muttered. "Not sure I should be thankful though, as this is going to keep me busy thinking for a while…troublesome as ever, I see."

"_Anyway," Naruto continued with a cough. "That's why we didn't send details about the Fourth Shinobi World War. Because things aren't set in stone. Maybe you'll succeed where we didn't and prevent it entirely. Keep thousands of people from dying, and friends crying over lost loved ones…"_

"You better believe we will, Naruto." Ino muttered, before sharing a glance with Shikamaru, who nodded back with resolve.

_Naruto smirked, and raised his fist to the screen, as though asking them to bump fists with him. "Either way," he said. "I…and everyone else here in the future…believe in you all. We're you, after all. We never gave up, and look where we are now. It was a long and hard road, but it's worth it all in the end. Keep at it, and see you tomorrow."_

Naruto smirked in the present, and raised his fist to the screen as well. "Yeah," he said. "See you tomorrow, old man."

One by one, the other members of the Konoha Eleven did likewise, and in their own way the older members of the gathering did similarly, the older Naruto's smile widening before the orb dimmed and flickered out, ending their glimpse of the future.

"I guess that's that." Tsunade said with a sigh. "Well…I don't know about you, but I could use a drink."

"We certainly have a lot to think about." Kakashi said with a nod.

"That we certainly do." Neji agreed. "And to discuss with each other as well."

A chorus of agreement went up, for the most part. Naruto and Sakura shared a glance between them, a mutual agreement made in silence for them to find someplace quiet to talk in, while both Shikamaru and Ino quickly excused themselves as they left to reassure themselves that certain loved ones who might die in the future were still with them here and now, and to resolve that they would never go before their time.

One by one, everyone else excused themselves to ponder and act on what they'd seen of the future they might have.

* * *

The air was thick with tension around the bench Naruto and Sakura sat on, in an out of the way park. The sky was growing dark as the afternoon gave way to the evening, and the sound of crickets droned in the background as fireflies played among trees and over the still waters of a nearby pond.

Though Naruto and Sakura had easily found common ground and even defended their…potential, future selves and family earlier, now that they actually had to talk about it…it was easier said than done. After all, it also meant coming to terms with how they felt about each other.

As far as Naruto was concerned, there was nothing to admit about how he felt towards Sakura. He'd always loved her as far back as their days in the academy, but at the same time, he'd always known that she loved Sasuke first, and might never return his feelings. Not that it stopped him from trying to change how she felt, but there was always an unadmitted recognition that no matter how hard he tried, nothing would change, especially after Sasuke had gone and joined Orochimaru in Hidden Sound. And there was the promise too, the one Naruto had made at that time, to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, no matter what.

Even so…even if Sakura would never return his feelings…so long as she was happy…then…

As for Sakura…everything was a whirl for her. It was clear from their earlier glimpses of the future that her…counterpart, had eventually given up and moved on from what was probably an unrequited love for Sasuke Uchiha, and reciprocated Naruto's long-lasting affection for her. It was something Sakura had never expected would happen, much less thought about even, and as she still believed she loved Sasuke, she found herself wondering: why didn't she feel any guilt or confusion for her counterpart's decision?

If anything, she felt…accepting, of it. As if it was something that should have been expected, something that would have happened, sooner or later, as though her feelings for Sasuke were no longer as important as they have once been, the center of her life as she had always thought them to be.

And Naruto…

…what exactly did she feel for him now?

"Sakura-chan…"

"Naruto…"

The two immediately stopped talking as they realized they'd both spoken at the same time. "…you go…" they both attempted to say, only to break off as they realized they'd again spoken at the same time. And then Naruto sighed, and nodded at Sakura.

"Um…" he hesitantly began. "I know what we just saw makes it seem as though we're destined to be together, but…you know I…well, you know I don't believe in things like that. That's why…no matter much I want to be like that Naruto we saw on the screen earlier…I just want to say, I won't force you to love me."

Sakura stared at Naruto, who stared back with an unusual seriousness and solemnity in his eyes, one shared by the tone of his voice. It was something she only remembered him having once, three years ago, after Sasuke had left for Hidden Sound, when he made her that promise.

It was a promise that she now found herself beginning to regret having him make.

"Why?" Sakura asked, and Naruto blinked.

"Why what?" he asked.

"Why do you like me so much?" Sakura asked. "Especially when you can just return Hinata's feelings for you. I mean…you told me earlier that you couldn't…but that doesn't tell me why."

Naruto stared at Sakura, and then he sighed. "Then," he said. "You told me earlier that you thought you weren't as pretty as her, so answer me this: why do you think so?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow and then chuckled. "A question for a question…?" she asked. "Fine…but you first."

Naruto pouted and then laughed. "Fine…" he conceded. "Well, if you really want me to be honest…she isn't my type."

There was dead, utter silence. And then…

"…what?" Sakura deadpanned.

Naruto sighed and looked at her flatly. "You heard me." He said. "She's not my type. And it's your turn to answer my question."

Sakura face-palmed at the blunt and pitiless reasoning of why Naruto didn't return Hinata's affections, even more so as it was in hindsight a very typically Naruto-ish reason. And then she sighed, as it was her turn to answer.

"Well, if I'm also being honest," she began. "It's just that…I've always thought Hinata was in a completely different class above me, I guess. She really is prettier than I am, in fact you could say she's the model for a perfect girl. All her features are exactly right, and she's always made me feel big and clumsy by comparison. Add in her sweet personality that makes people want to be with her, then…"

Naruto blinked, and then shrugged. "…huh…" he grunted.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"I understand where you're coming from, that's all." Naruto said. "And you're right. Hinata really is a different class of girl from you. But you know what? I don't care. Because I think you're perfect the way you are."

Sakura stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed at Naruto. "I guess that's why I like you so much." He continued with a small laugh. "You're not always dainty and sweet, though you do have your moments, but otherwise you're strong and straightforward. In a way…we think and act alike."

Sakura's mouth worked soundlessly for a few moments, and then she coughed, her cheeks pink. "I…thank you, I guess." She said. "Not very romantic, but then again you were never the romantic kind."

Naruto laughed. "No, I guess I'm not." He admitted.

"Thank you though…" Sakura said softly. "About what you said about my forehead…back then and earlier…no, you don't need to give excuses. I understand why you did it the way you did…and more importantly, it's the first time anyone apart from my parents had anything good to say about my forehead."

"…I really meant what I said, you know." Naruto said just as softly, and Sakura nodded.

"I know…and again, thank you." She said before taking a deep breath. "So…where do we go from here?"

Naruto didn't answer, and they sat in silence for several long minutes. The Sun finished setting, leaving the sky dark but for the sparking of the stars and the Moon's slim silver crescent, and causing the lampposts to come on, casting wan light gently across the park. And then Naruto rose to his feet, and walking across the path turned to lean against the railing on the other side.

"Like I said," he began. "No matter what you choose to do, no matter how much I want to live the life the Naruto on the screen had, I won't force you to love me. All I want is for you to be happy."

Sakura stared at Naruto for a long moment, and then lowering her face, leaned forward, arms crossed over her lap in thought. Losing herself in her memories, she thought back to when she was just a child with her family, then through her years in the academy, and finally becoming part of team seven.

She remembered all the good and bad times, and how she made a name for herself both as herself and as a ninja of the Hidden Leaf. Then there was her apprenticeship under Tsunade the Sannin, just as Naruto had with Jiraiya of the Sannin, his eventual return after three years, and then her recent and – in hindsight – her fondest memories.

And through it all, she realized just how much of her life revolved around Naruto, more so than it did with Sasuke as she had always thought. Naruto had always been there for her, always making her laugh and smile just as much as he depended on her to keep him focused on his goals.

He had been the one to inspire her to ask for an apprenticeship under Tsunade.

He had always been there to cheer her up whenever she felt down or had been crushed by a rejection by Sasuke in those earlier, happier, more innocent years.

And there was the promise he made, no matter how much it hurt him, all for her sake.

_Don't make the same mistakes I did. You never know what you have until the day it's gone, and you can never get it back._

_Don't be like me and Jiraiya, and let pride and stubbornness take everything you have away._

As her master's advice echoed through her mind, Sakura took a deep breath, and looking at Naruto with a small smile, got to her feet. She was still uncertain about how she really felt about Naruto and Sasuke, but things were clearer now.

"Hey, Naruto." She said while walking closer.

"What?" he asked as she walked up to him, and turning also leaned backwards on the railing next to him.

"About that promise you made three years ago." Sakura continued.

"What about it?" Naruto asked.

"I won't ask you to break it." Sakura said, before turning her head to look at him in the eyes. "But from now on…let's bring Sasuke back together. And once we do…I'll give you an answer. Can you wait until then?"

Naruto stared back, looking Sakura's eyes, and then smiling, nodded. "Sure," he said, before turning to look up, into the stars. "I'll wait as long as you need me to. Until then…let's get stronger, to bring Sasuke back, and to make our dreams come true."

Sakura nodded, and also turned to look at the stars herself. "Yeah," she said with a smile of her own. "Let's do just that, Naruto."

They still had many challenges to face, obstacles to overcome, and enemies to fight. But in that moment, under the light of the stars in a park in Konoha, Naruto and Sakura found new resolve to keep walking towards the future.

* * *

A/N

And so we come to an end. Much shorter than I hoped, although this work was ultimately something of a drabble on NaruSaku, one which I hope got what I wanted to get across.

Naruto and Sakura still aren't locked-in, but the path to them getting together is much clearer now than in canon. Sakura probably won't pull that fake confession here, though she still might go after Sasuke herself (and get her ass kicked for her trouble) only to be saved by Naruto. Sai might still have to sacrifice himself to finally get them to come clean about how they really feel about each other, or he might not need to.

At the very least, they're now more honest about how they feel to each other, even if they still have a long way to go. And if they keep at it, they just might have that future they glimpsed with each other.

Anyway…I'm planning to write a story set in that future, with Shinachiku Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha as main characters. Naruto and Sakura will be supporting characters, ditto for Sasuke and Karin. Should be out in a bit…though to make things clearer – Naruto wasn't joking about time travel making one's head hurt – that story will be the result of NaruSaku developing naturally (as it should have instead of being derailed by NaruHina coming out nowhere) without any future knowledge having pushed it into play.

See you later, folks.


	11. Update

Just as a heads-up, the post-NaruSaku fic set in the future the canon characters just had a glimpse of is now up. It's called _In the Future_, and you can find it here as well.


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